The Mobster's Wife
by Mina Lisly
Summary: Sequel to The Boss's Daughter Being the daughter of a world-renowned criminal has never been easy on Clary. And now, she fell in love with someone even more brutal than her father. Will her couple endure the hardships that being with mobster brings? Will she be strong enough to not lose herself in that dark world, and bring some light into Jace? {OOC/AH/AU} Romance/Drama/Angst
1. Prologue

**My dear little broccoli** 💚💚💚

💚 **So this is the sequel to The Boss's Daughter. If you did not read this story yet, you should, or you will be lost in what is happening here.**

💚 **I have no idea how long this story is going to be, and how often I will update. As I told you on the previous story, I started a new job that takes a lot of my time, and I also need to balance with my personal life. So the updates will come when they will, though I will try to do long chapters on this one.**

💚 **The story is already done in my head, and it will be from Clary's point-of-view, mostly. We will get a few Kaelie's and Valentine's, but I don't think Jace will have a part in this story, just like Clary didn't have one in the previous one.**

💚 **And remember, Jace is five years older than Clary, and this story sets place in the Mafia world. The rating M isn't just about lemons but also about some theme that some of you might find hard. So you've been warned, don't complain about any of that. Hehe**

💚 **Without further ado, here is the prologue. Shorter but necessary. This prologue will work a bit like the one of the previous story. It is a sneak peek of what is to come, but unlike Jace's story, it will not come back at the end of the story, but in the middle…**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚

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 **Prologue** **: (0,5K)**

 **Clary's PoV**

Clary woke up with her head pounding and her heart aching. She struggled to open her eyes, her tears from the previous night having dried to salt and making it difficult for her to see the light of the day. Without great conviction or will, she sat up in the clinical bed that brought her so much sorrow, doing her best to hold the new tears coming her way as she remembered her sorrows of the previous day, and she glanced at the chair where her husband had been sitting the previous night, not saying a word and watching her cry herself to sleep.

A lump grew in her throat when she found it empty, without any note for her to assure her that he would be back soon. She was alone. All alone once more, because she wasn't strong enough. At this moment, she would have given anything to be anyone else, to never had experienced this pain. She would rather be a poor girl without a penny to her name, she would rather be a suburban wife with bills and mortgages drowning her, she would rater be a naked Amazonian who knew nothing of the modern society and thought of planes as metal birds than be herself.

This was the second time she had to go through this pain, and it was even worse than the first time. This time she had hope, and it had been snatched away from her at the cruellest moment.

She curled on herself, crying over herself and wondering what was wrong with her. Why couldn't she be like everybody else? Why, of all the things, _this_ was what was denied to her? And why did she have to go through this alone once again?

She was married! Her husband was supposed to love her, through sickness and health! But he wasn't here. He didn't even hold her last night. He let her cry on her own, though there was more than enough space on that ridiculously large and soulless bed. He went back to his own life and left her all alone in the morning as if nothing happened.

Did he expect her to smile at him when she would see him again? Did he plan to pretend that nothing ever happened? _Did he even care_? She knew he loved her, but maybe the recent developments of their situation made him reevaluate that statement and think he would be better off without her. Maybe he wanted someone _normal_ , after all.

As she kept on crying her heart out, her thoughts getting darker and darker by the minute, the door to her room opened, and revealed her father, with a pained expression on his face. He had been away for the last couple of days, and she tried to smile, because, despite her sorrows, she was happy to see him, but she never managed to turn her lips in the proper curve.

"Oh, sweetheart," Valentine said, walking to his daughter, and taking her in his arms as soon as she was at arm's length.

Clary burst into loud tears, sobbing in her father's comforting embrace, not caring that she was not a child anymore and simply crying her heart out to the man who had always been there for her, for as long as she could remember.

.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚 **Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed** 💚

 **.**

💚 **So, here we go, let's get ready for this new story. I am rather excited, but before we dive into the lives of this Clary and Jace once again, I just want to state a few things:**

 **~ Life is crazy at the moment, so I will do collective answers at the end of each chapter. I know I always took the time to answer to each and every one of you, but I honestly don't have the time anymore. But don't let that stop you from reviewing. I do take a lot of my free time to write this story, and it is always nice to know what you guys are thinking or speculating. (For those who just want a chat, I am more present on WhatsApp)**

 **~ Before any of you starts saying that either Jace or Clary seem out of character, remember that we are switching narrative, and therefore perspective. We will see both Clary and Jace through Clary's eyes.**

 **~ I would like it, if, throughout the story, you remembered who Jace is, and how he was in the first story. Remember, this is Clary's tale, and we don't know much how she perceived Jace in the first story.**

💚 **Now, I can't wait to read your ideas and speculation about what is going to happen in this story3, and what happened to Clary in this prologue …**

💚 **By the way, about the story I will be working on, you need to vote on my profile, so I can follow the majority. The voting ends on 15-02-2019. So go and vote.**

 **Anyway, Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚


	2. 1: L-O-V-E

**My dear little broccolis** 💚💚💚

💚 **So here comes the first chapter. Do not get used to the fast updates, you were just lucky I was on a business trip. Haha. But you can get used to that kind of length, more or less … (yeah, you can happily squeal, I know you want to)**

💚 **For the replies, always check at the end of the chapter so I can give a group reply to everyone.**

💚 **I just want to say a massive thank you to all of you who followed/favourited/reviewed the story already. It's probably why you already have an update. Be sure to keep them coming and to share the story with those you think will like it.**

💚 **ALSO, I discovered this app that basically gives you coins to buy things by walking. So you should 100% check it out. It's like a small passive income in your pocket.**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚

 **.**

 **Chapter 1** **: L.O.V.E. (7,0K)**

 **Clary's PoV**

They did not stay long at the luxurious hotel in the countryside though Clary would have certainly not complain if they did. She kept it for herself, but now that she knew her father had known about her and Jace all along, she felt that he had orchestrated this whole thing to get them alone together.

Still, she enjoyed those couple of days when she had Jace all for herself. It reminded her of when they would go abroad and he would give her his undivided attention. Sure, she was sure that his mind went straight back to business when she was asleep, but the moments she was awake were for her and her alone.

Strangely enough, none of them talked about their separation of two years. It wasn't much that Clary wouldn't be honest about it, but she would rather not think about what Jace had been doing when he wasn't with her, and she was sure that the same went for him. They didn't even make up for their lost time. Of all the times they had to get back together, it had to be during _that_ time for the month. They just … acted like a couple.

A real couple, without any sort of restriction from one or the other. They went to the movies, to restaurants, shopping (to Jace's greatest dismay). And during all their time together, Jace had his hand on her smaller back, as any other man would do in a relationship. And though she knew she had been the one to put a ban on their relationship, Clary couldn't help but love it.

Thinking about it, with the reassurance that her father was not going to try and break them apart, her fears did not make that much sense after all. She knew that her father loved her, and would never do something that would cause her pain. But more than that. Her father loved Jace like a son, and she remembered Jon much more than she remembered her mother. Valentine had loved his son, as much as he had loved her. Now, it made sense that he would not try and go between them.

The only inconvenience that happened during their getaway weekend was Lauren. To be honest, Clary hadn't even known she was here until they left and she shared the flight back home with them. She had been surprised to see her there and wondered what Jace's reaction would be. Surely, he didn't appreciate being followed around like a baby. Still, it gave her hope. Maybe she would manage to get Jace to convince her father to get rid of Lauren. It wasn't that she was bad per se, it was just that Clary didn't like the idea of being followed around like a little girl.

Once back in New York, Jace dropped her at her father's mansion, but she let him know that he would see her the same night. She just needed to pick a few things that would not make her feel like a guest in Jace's apartment. With a smile that she knew no one else saw, Jace gave her the key to his place, before kissing her and leaving her. She wondered for a second if he always carried around a spare key, or if he knew that she would be there before him.

Whilst she was packing a small suitcase of essentials, she Skyped her best friend, to finally let her know of the big change in her life. Though she had already told Maryse, she knew that her Godmother had kept that information for herself, and maybe her husband. As soon as Izzy answered the video call, Clary proudly shook her hand in front of the camera, presenting the magnificent ring Jace had given her.

"Oh no! He came back and you said yes!" Izzy lamented with deception. Clary repressed a laugh, taking her phone in the bathroom so she could sort out the toiletry she wanted to take.

"It's not from Seb. It's from Jace."

There was a small silence, Izzy trying to find logic in Clary's words. For the past two years, she had been telling Clary that though she understood her reasons, she didn't give their relationship a clean break. Mostly because she just cut ties, without explaining why to Jace. And as she often said, how could he make amend, if he did not know his crime?

"Since when you and Jace are bad together?"

"Since Friday night, when he proposed to me with that beautiful ring."

"I don't get it. I thought you didn't want to see ' _his stupid Valentine-Morgenstern-loving face ever again_ '?"

Clary glared at her best friend. "First of all, you're _my_ best friend! You're not supposed to throw back at me what I said in anger. Second … you were right."

She had said the latter part in a really small voice, because being stubborn as she was, she didn't like admitting that she had been wrong. But of course, Izzy being Izzy grinned, and asked,

"Sorry, I didn't get that last part. The connection is bad. Can you repeat a bit louder the part when you say that I am right and you were wrong."

The redhead decided to ignore her best friend boasting and took her toiletries to her room to put them in her suitcase. Which did not go unnoticed by Izzy.

"Are you moving in with him?"

"Not really. It's more the other way around. But we're staying at his place until the wedding."

"You're both going to live with Uncle Val?" Clary could see why Izzy was surprised. To be honest, she had expected Jace to be the one to raise an issue about this. Mostly because lying with her father would impose restrictions, such as no sex out of nowhere, whenever they felt like it. But …

"I don't want to leave my Dad alone, Iz. I know it would be too hard for him."

"And Jace is okay with that?"

"He didn't object."

She glanced at the screen, just in time to see Izzy rolling her eyes, but she didn't hold it against her. No matter how much Izzy loved Valentine, she couldn't understand. Clary was all he had left. Unlike Izzy's parents who had each other, Valentine had no one else but his daughter. His wife was gone, his son was gone, his best friend was gone. He just had her now.

"Well, I have some happy news of my own. Si and I are coming back next month."

"Visiting?"

"No. We're moving back. We just … want to be in New York again."

Clary cheered, ahoy beyond words that her best friend was coming back to her and that she would get to see her on a regular basis, and not once every other weekend.

They talked about a few other mundane things, though Clary had the feeling that Izzy didn't explain the real reason why she and Simon were coming back home; and they needed the conversation when Clary was done with the packing. She was tempted to take her car, but the suitcase was too heavy for her to handle, so she called for a taxi. She couldn't help but smile when the yellow car drove her to Jace. How many times has she done this trip, with the hope that she would have the guts to talk to Jace, before chickening out last second? Now, she was going there as his _fiancée_ with a big rock on her finger to prove it.

Once in Jace's place, the first thing she did was look for Bastille, hoping that Jace didn't get rid of the cat when he got rid of her stuff. She found him on the terrace, looking at her with curiosity. She wondered if the cat had forgotten about her over the past couple of years. After all, she left when he was still young. She walked to the cat, to pet him, but Bastille dodged her hand and sprinted away from her, not without looking at her in a way she was sure was a glare.

She swallowed with difficulty, trying to reassure herself, thinking that she was analysing things that weren't meant to be analysed, and went in the kitchen space to pour herself a glass of water. there, she had the surprise to find Kaelie, with the flat's keys in hand, looking at her with big blue eyes.

"What are you doing here?' She asked, before squinting her eyes at her left hand, spotting the ring ornamenting her finger.

Clary suddenly felt very self-conscious. This was not how she had meant for Kaelie to find out about Jace and her. But in all honesty, she did not know how she had meant for her to find out. Kaelie was a friend to both Jace and her, and they still both kept the secret from her. Clary knew that she would be hurt if she learnt that her best friends had held something so big from her.

"Well … uh … You know that ex I was telling you about … It's Jace, and … he proposed Friday night, and I said yes … So here I am."

Kaelie looked deep in her eyes, not saying anything, before she walked to a cupboard and looked for food for the cat, leaving Clary in distress. She didn't want her friend to sever ties with her because she held a secret from her.

"Please, don't be mad. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. It's just … it was complicated."

"Not really. It's actually really simple. I like you, Clary. I really do. But I _love_ Jace. Like a brother, don't get me wrong. We are strictly platonic, and since ever happened, or ever will. still, no matter what you mean to me, Jace means more. And I'm not looking forward to the next time you're going to break his heart.

Jace will never admit it to you because he is a proud man, but you really broke him. I had to go and pick him up drunk out of his mind because you refused his proposal without a simple explanation. I had to see him question himself as a man because you never told him why you broke up with him. I had to see him swallow his pain whilst you were batting your lashes at other men.

So, yes, it's pretty simple to me. Once you will be tired of the novelty of this wedding, you will break his heart again, and I'm not looking forward to that."

Clary held her tears, hurt as much by the words, as by the reality of them. Though she was too much of a friend to say it, Kaelie was basically calling her a selfish flickering bitch.

"I didn't mean to cause him pain," She said with a small voice, looking down on the floor.

Kaelie poured some water in Bastille's bowl, as she retorted, "Didn't you? Then why did you go out with Will barely two weeks after your breakup?"

The truth was, she had hoped to make Jace jealous and reach out to her. She had been too much of a chicken to be the one doing the first step, so she had hoped Jace would do it if he saw her with someone she knew he disliked.

Still, the words that came out of her mouth were more defensive than anything else, "He was with that friend of yours as well. And more than once, if I recall properly."

She remembered seeing Jace with that beautiful brunette who had such long legs and him bringing her as his plus one on several occasions, exchanging pleasantries with her and always keeping her at arm's length. And according to Kaelie, Angela was a really friendly girl when it came to men she liked.

Kaelie condescendingly shook her head, "Jace never touched Angela even once. As I said, he was heartbroken, and you never gave him closure. And even at the time, you could have made it all better for the two of you, you chose to keep your grief to yourself. Don't you think Jace would have liked to be there for you?"

Clary clenched her jaw, not wanting to think back of that particular moment, and Kaelie clearly saw in her eyes that the pain Clary once felt was not completely gone. She inhaled deeply before she said,

"Jace will probably have my head for telling you any of this, anyway. You can do no wrong in his eyes. He obviously loved you, and the ring he made for you is proof enough. I just … I think you ought to know. I know Jace can appear cold, and I'll be honest, I don't know how he is with you. But remember that behind this ice statue he seems to be, he is actually a man with deep feelings for you. Make sure that if you stay, it's for the long term, because I don't think I would forgive you for breaking his heart another time."

Then, on those words, she left. Clary shuddered, repressing a sob. No matter how hard Kaelie could be, this was one of the reasons she liked her because she was true. She didn't try to sugar coat her or anything. She went straight to the truth.

With Kaelie's words still ringing in her ears, Clary went upstairs, in order to unload her suitcase, but her tears finally broke loose when she got in Jace's bedroom. No matter how hard Kaelie's truth was, it was nothing compared to actually seeing it. Everything was still there. The pictures of them she had put on the wall, the book she had been reading on her nightstand. She opened the drawer she used to have and saw that her clothes were still there. And went she went to the bathroom, she saw all her old toiletries there, even her toothbrush.

She sat on the floor of the bathroom, leaning against the bathtub, and crying softly. At this right moment, she couldn't help but see her father in Jace. She remembered when she once snuck in her father's room, in the hope to find a picture of her mother. She remembered how the seven years old girl that she was marvelled at finding the room as if a woman still used it. The fine clothes her mother used to wear, the perfumes she used to spray on herself, the makeup she used to apply on. It was only years later that she understood how sad it was. To the little girls without a mother, it seemed like heaven. To anyone else, it was unhealthy to stay in one's grief and to not move on.

And though she was not dead, Jace did not even try to move on from her. And no matter how wrong she knew it was, she couldn't help but feel so loved at this very moment. More than ever, she wished her mother was alive, so she could ask her when she knew that her father loved her that much.

With a deep heave, Clary wiped her tears and put her things where she would need them, getting rid of her old toiletries. She knew they would be clean, Jace was a neat-freak, but they were all old and probably out of date, anyway.

It took her most of the day to put everything in place, and after cooking a quick something, she jumped in the shower to get rid of the sweat of the day. When she left the boiling water, she had the good surprise to see Jace smiling at her at the entrance of the bathroom.

"I thought you said you would finish late," She exclaimed, wrapping herself in a towel. Jace smiled, and walked to her, nuzzling his nose in her neck,

"I thought you'd appreciate the surprise."

She leaned against him, smiling at their reflection, but she saw that the smile never reached her eyes. And Jace saw it too because his reflection was now frowning, looking at her with worry.

"What's wrong?"

She shook her, not wanting to burden him more than necessary, and stepped out of his embrace. She was about to dismiss the thought, when her eyes fell on her hairbrush, the same that she had left here two years ago.

"I just noticed that all my stuff were still here …"

She saw how his face quickly passed from worry to nothing, like every time something personal was brought up. She had learnt to live with it. She knew that he was a private man and that no one else even saw the little emotions he showed her.

She took a deep breath, not wanting to take the next step, but knowing it was necessary, "Did you … see anyone whilst we were … separated?"

"I'd rather not talk about that period of time. I don't want to hear about you and your rebounds," He said, his voice so cold that she felt goosebump rise on her arms.

So he had been avoiding the topic on purpose. She had thought that maybe he had been simply enjoying the weekend that had been given to them, and did not realise that they hadn't talked about it. But it was Jace. Of course he knew that they never talked about the two years they were apart, and apparently, he was not planning on talking about them. Was it because he was still heartbroken about it like Kaelie said, or because he didn't want to admit that he was the reason she had been dumped twice?

Still, it bothered her that he never tried to rebound himself, and that was the reason why, she took his face in her small hands, and let him know,

"Jace, no matter how much I love my Dad, I don't want you to turn up like him. If something were to ever happen to me —" She was stopped by Jace ticking at that. It was obviously something he did not like to think. She gently smiled and continued,

"If something were to ever happen to me, I don't want you to wallow in the memory of me. I would want you to find the will to move on."

She looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to give his word that he would do as she asked. But when he remained silent, she knew that it was a lost cause, Jace would rather stay in his sadness than move on. She knew he was not saying anything because he had never made her a promise that he did not hold. He was a man of his word, and even death wouldn't make him break his word.

And no matter how much she loved Jace, and how much it made her feel loved, it still frightened her a little. How many women at the shelter had told her stories of partners who loved them too much, who loved them so much that their love turned to obsession and their partners became emotionally (and sometimes physically) abusive.

Still, she shook away the feeling. Though he had been raised by the streets, Clary knew that Jace had very high respect for women in general. Kaelie was the easiest example. Jace never treated her as an ex-hooker, and never used her past against her. He never pretended as if it didn't exist either. He simply took the blond girl as a human being.

With a weak smile, she stood on her toes and pecked his lips, and finally said the thing that she knew she should have said long ago, "I am sorry for the past two years. It is all my fault. I just … I was just scared."

She saw him slightly frown before his hand slowly came to her face and wiped a tear she hadn't even realised shedding, and he said with a knowing smile,

"You've seen Kaelie, haven't you?"

She didn't question how he actually knew that, and she knew that of all the people on that Earth, there was no point in lying to Jace. He would know immediately.

"I'm sorry," She repeated.

He kissed away the few other tears that came, and he swept her off her feet to take her in the bedroom. "I'm sorry as well. I know I am not the most demonstrative guy out there. It's just not in my nature. But if you ever doubt how I feel about you, just say so."

His outburst surprised her, though she did not comment on it. As he said, he was not a really forthcoming person. A part of herself wondered if Kaelie had a talk with him as well, or Magnus probably. After all, Magnus was Jace's best friend, this was the kind of advice he would give to his friend.

Jace left Clary in the room, letting her know that he would take a quick shower, which made her smile to herself. At least she knew she would never get some bacteria from that man. He was a neat freak. She couldn't remember even one time when he didn't take a shower after coming home … Besides the night of his birthday. No matter how impatient she had been to get him to jump her, he always took the time to take a quick shower.

For a moment, she pondered in front of the wardrobe, not sure of what to wear for the night. Before she settled for one of the night-gown she had left here. The blue one that Jace had always liked very much. When she turned around, Jace was already back his towel hanging on his lips, his eyes eating her up with obvious desire.

Clary smiled, appreciating that his body was just as she remembered. Maybe she should hit the gym again to get a tone as he was. When their eyes met, Jace took a deliberate effort to look away and strode to the drawers to retrieve some pyjamas trousers. As silently as she could, Clary walked to him, and hugged him from behind as she luxuriously said,

"There used to be a time when this gown would be on the floor by the minute you saw me in it."

Jace tensed at her words, whilst she gently kissed his back and played with the top of his towel. She knew why he was restraining himself, he thought she was still on her period, and so she let him know,

"I think it's time for us to christen our engagement."

The words were barely out of her mouth that she was already laying on the bed, Jace claiming her mouth with passion. She happily gave him access to her tongue, losing herself in the sensations he awoke in her. With urgency, she reached for the towel, eager to take his monster-cock in her hand, but Jace stopped her from doing so.

He pinned her hands above her head, taking them both in one of his large hands, and whispered huskily in her ear, "Tonight you are mine and mine only. Tonight all your pleasures will come from me, and me only."

And just as he finished his promise, he nibbled on her earlobe. Clary closed her eyes, happily surrendering to this man who knew her body better than anybody else, better than herself; and she smiled with pleasure when he started to kiss every inch of her skin.

In her short life, Clary didn't really have that many men in her life, so she couldn't tell if she had been unlucky, or if it was Jace being the rare exception; but she knew that beside Jace, she never had such a dedicated lover. She knew that she shouldn't compare men, but Jace brought it to a whole other level. It wasn't because of his monster-cock, it was because he made it a mission to make sure she would be left satisfied with every inch of her being. And he was always really thorough with it.

He never went down on her begrudgingly, he never orgasmed if she hands already, and he always made sure she was comfortable with what he was doing to her. And he had those small attentions. Like the way he would kiss his way back up, to erase the taste of herself when he would kiss her again, or the way he would gently test her flexibility before going at it or not, or the way he would look at her as if she was the best thing that ever happened to him. She liked how he always looked at her, at her eyes. _She_ was what mattered to him, not her body, not what she looked like, but _she_.

A sweet tease of his teeth on her nipple brought her to the present moment, ripping a loud moan out of her. Her hands tentatively tried to go for his golden mane, but he brought them back up immediately, all the whilst sucking on her breast. She felt her insides built up and tried to press her legs together for a little friction.

Jace looked up, a playful smirk plastered on his lips as he finally let go of her hands to keep her legs in place. She wondered if she should push her luck, and move her hands, but she didn't want to ruin their reunion. She liked how kinky they could get once in a while, and she didn't mind being bound and completely in Jace's power from time to time. But this night was their reunion, and she didn't want any sort of kink like that to it.

So she kept her hands up, watching Jace slowly an agonisingly kiss his way down, his eyes never leaving hers. When he finally reached her mount, he simply blew on it, making her try to arch herself so his mouth would be where she wanted it the most at that very moment. He played with her for a while, before finally nibbling her clit, making her scream a loud and guttural "Yes!", throwing her head back.

She kept her eyes closed, curling her toes as his tongue played with her folds, and his teeth with her clit. There was just one word to describe what he was doing to her at the moment, he was feasting on her. His hands were steady on her hips, stopping her from moving too much as he brought on wave and wave of pleasure, his tongue always probing further down.

"God! _Jace_! Yes!" She chanted, feeling her insides swirl with something sweet and delectable. It was coming strong, and if she simply let go at that moment, she would climax, but she didn't want to just yet. She wanted to _feel him_.

"Please, _please_ , take me!" She begged, thrashing her head, and all notions of control over her arms forgotten.

Jace stopped for a moment, making her look down to his head between her legs and see him frown with a mix of concern and slight anger. She wondered what she had done wrong, and before she could ask, he explained,

"I don't think this is an option for tonight. I haven't bought condoms in a long long time."

Clary stared at Jace for half a second, wondering if her next words would be mood killers, or if they would help the night get even better. "I'm still on the pill, and … well, you're the only guy who ever got to that stage with me."

She didn't want to mention Seb if she could avoid it, especially at a time like that. For a moment, she wondered if Jace was going to doubt her words, but she immediately dismissed the thought. She knew Jace trusted her, as much as she trusted him.

Jace didn't say a word, crawling back up, and kissing her hard, losing his hand in her massive hair, and though she tasted her salty self on his tongue, she happily opened her mouth, and he legs to him. He dropped his towel, but when she had expected to feel him slide inside of her, she felt nothing. She just heard him say,

"Look at me, babe. I want your eyes to be on me tonight."

She opened her eyes, meeting his golden orbs and wondering if this night he was more insisting of eye contact because of … her rebound.

Slowly, he slid inside her, filling her up with delight and pleasure, and seeming to never stop until it felt like the tip of his penis could touch her womb. She loved to feel him inside of her though she was always impressed that the small thing that she was could take the big thing that he had.

Slowly, Jace began his back and forth, bringing her knees to the level of her breast, and never breaking eye contact with her. She brought her hands to her face, grasping his hair and loving how his eyes made her feel inside. She was so overwhelmed that she closed her eyes, to feel him on a deeper level.

Jace slammed into her, making her yelp, half in surprise, half in pleasure. He repeated the motion, again and again, demanding of her, "Look at me, babe."

She opened her, getting lost in the honey of his as his moves became more brusque and curter. His hands were all over her body, trying to touch her all over at once, and when she felt her insides build up in something extraordinary, Jace flipped them over, so she would be on top of him.

One of his hand got a grip on her hair, whilst the other helped her find a new rhythm in this new position. This was one of her favourite position and they both knew it. She laid on top of him and moved so that his pelvic bone would stimulate her clitoris whilst his abnormally large penis filled her up.

Though he never broke eye-contact with her, Jace let her have control of the speed she wanted to go. At first, she tried to take it slow, but the more she looked at him, the more she felt overwhelmed by love. Without even realising it, she increased her pace, planting her nails in his arms, reaching for climax, something almost animalistic taking over her.

And finally, she reached it. Finally, she became undone, falling limp on Jace's chest as she said, happy and sated, "God, I love you."

She felt him chuckle beneath her, before finding herself back on the mattress, her back facing Jace as he told her, "I love you too. But I'm far from done with you. I'm going to wear you out tonight."

At the promise echoing in his voice and words, Clary couldn't help but giggle, propping her ass up as an invite for him to make good on his promises. Which he did. All night long.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **Clary's PoV**

When Clary woke up the next day, the clock on the wall indicated that it was past one in the afternoon, and though she should have felt guilty to have stayed in bed for so long, she didn't. She couldn't help but smile gleefully at the reminiscence of the previous night. Jace only let her rest when the first light came through the window.

To be honest, she was feeling achy and crampy, because of all the activities she endured in the last few hours, and yet her body has never been so relaxed.

With a happy smile, she rolled out of bed, finding Bastille haughtily looking at her from the doorframe. She waved at the cat, who turned his head and walked away, making her wonder once again, if the cat was mad at her for leaving him, or if he simply didn't remember her.

She slipped on a robe, and went to the bathroom, her whole body screaming at the recollection of last night. Jace had never been a rough lover. Every time he had been, it was because she had asked him. But last night it seemed that Jace had been less in touch of his natural control, or more in touch with his instincts. And her feminine intuition was telling her it was because he had wanted to erase Seb from her memory. If only he knew that her body never managed to forget about him …

Her stomach grumbled, and she thought of the dinner she had made last night and that they never got the chance to eat. instead, she had been the meal. Of course, at that precise moment, she could eat about anything. Leftovers seemed like a good idea, though she wasn't sure how she was going to heat it. Jace didn't have a microwave.

But when she got downstairs, she had the surprise to find both Jace and her father in the kitchen, eating what seemed to be Chinese takeout. She thanked the heavens for having the good sense to not walk around naked, and to have a robe on, and tried to brightly smile when they both greeted her.

"Don't you guys ever work?" She teased, putting on a brave face.

She was not going to lie, it felt weird to have her father in this apartment, with her in a robe. Especially after what happened the night before. She felt her blood rise to her cheeks and did everything she could to not look in Jace's direction. instead, she went to the coffee machine, grateful that coffee had already been made.

She sat next to Jace, though in a more formal position than the one she usually had when alone with him. Though a part of her mind reminded her that she would have to learn to live with it if she wanted to leave with her father. She shouldn't be so self-conscious around him.

"I was actually asking Jace when do you plan to move out when you came in," Valentine said, the most naturally in the world.

Clary sipped on her coffee, watching her father, and hearing the question he didn't actually ask. _When would she be leaving him, all alone in that big mansion_?

"We were thinking of the other way around. We move in with you. I cant decently leave you alone, your health would drop dramatically if I'm not here to check," She said, looking pointedly at the Chinese carton boxes.

Valentine smirked, but Clary still saw the relief in his eyes, "I can behave. You can check, it's all vegan."

"Good. Then, I can let you behave until the wedding?"

The three of them knew that she wasn't talking about food. She was asking him if he could stay alone until Jace and she would get married. Jace nodded, before he got up, checking his phone. Then he kissed Clary's forehead and left.

She waited to hear the front door click to turn to Jace, and ask, "What was that all about?"

She found it very strange that her father came out of nowhere to have lunch with Jace when during the whole time she and Jace had been together, it never happened. Jace smiled to her, taking her feet to rest them on his lap, as he informed,

"I think your father just wanted to make sure you were not kicking him out of your life. He has been delaying his departure for a good two hours. And left as soon as you assured him that you would not abandon him."

"Don't be ridiculous. Dad knows I would _never_ abandon him."

Jace did not reply anything, but she could tell that he thought otherwise. She rolled her eyes, shaking her head at him and his crazy ideas.

"I'm off to Columbia tomorrow. Care to come with me?" He lightly asking, changing the topic, all the while grabbing the newspaper.

Clary carefully studied him, trying to figure out if he wanted her to come or not. Maybe he was just being polite, and asking her by default. And if she was honest, she was not really looking forward to going abroad with Jace whilst he was working, if it meant she had to stay at the hotel like she had to do when she was younger with her father.

"Is it work or vacations?" She asked though she already knew the answer. Jace looked up from his newspaper, one of his eyebrow up, and she smiled to herself. As if Jace took time off for himself.

"Well, I think I will stay here with Maryse and organise the wedding with Maryse."

Jace nodded, not trying to convince her to follow him even the slightest, and she was relieved he didn't. He knew her well enough to know she would rather stay here than locked in a hotel.

She kept on sipping on her coffee and started dreaming out loud about what she wanted for their wedding. Alec was getting married next month, and she was happy about that. She wouldn't have to postpone her own, so they wouldn't have to share the year of their marriages. She wanted a summer wedding, with a big reunion and a princess dress. She wanted to get married in a church, and her father to walk her down the aisle. Of course, she wanted a white dress, even if she wasn't a virgin, and she wanted lower girls as well.

At some point, she stopped her passionate speech, and glared at Jace, sure that he was not paying single attention to what she was saying.

"Though I might ruin my beautiful dress if I have a chocolate fountain. I think I will just go naked."

Jace had a small smirk, turning the page of his newspaper, as he informed, "Be careful who you invite, then. Friend or foe, I'll kill anyone who gets to see you naked."

She rolled her eyes, though she was pleased to see that he had been listening to her. "My ob-gyn sees me naked rather a lot, you know. You're not going to go and kill him?" She meant it as a joke, but a part of her wasn't really sure.

Jace folded the paper and looked at her, mirth in his eyes, though there was some seriousness there as well. "I can make an exception or that doctor. But that doesn't mean I like the idea of others seeing you naked."

"I was just joking around," She assured him.

"But I'm not. Last night, I discovered something about myself that I did not like, Clary, because I cannot control it. I am jealous man. When it comes to you, I can get very jealous and …" He paused for a moment, before taking a deep breath and saying, "I'm sorry I took it out on you."

So she had been right, their lovemaking had been different, not just because of the reunion, but because Jace had been trying to make a point. She smiled, taking his hand in hers, and assuring him,

"It's alright, I sure didn't complain. And if I recall properly, I did tell you several times that I like it when you let go of your control."

He smiled at her, his eyes going to her hair, before playing with a wild lock. "As for the wedding, I'd rather not have it in May. It's your birthday month."

Clary couldn't agree more. She brightly smiled, getting up to get herself something to eat, when she thought this would be a good time as any to ask, "I want to invite your parents to the wedding."

She didn't turn back to look at him straight away, the sour memory of his anger still here. Truth be told, she had stayed in contact with Celine Wayland, even after she and Jace broke up. She just felt so bad for the mother.

"If that's what you want," Jace placidly said. Cary turned to look at his face and only saw indifference there.

"I think we should tell them the news over dinner when you come back. Maybe Dad could come with us, —"She started, hoping he wouldn't object. After all, he did say that as long as she didn't go behind his back.

Jace chuckled, getting up and walking to her. "I don't need moral support to go and see the Waylands, babe. I will do it for you because you obviously care, but I personally don't. Let me know when you have a date and place."

Then he kissed her, his lips staying a bit longer on her lips than for a simple goodbye. "Now, I recall you complaining I don't work enough. I should be back early again tonight."

.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚 **Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed** 💚

 **.**

💚 **So, first chapter, on the go. I decided to do things a bit differently in this story. Instead of asking questions I won't be able to answer to you, I will give you an inkling on what I want you to focus on. If you think it's a bad or a good idea, let me know, and I will go according to it.**

 **~ Clary does not know the dark side her father has. She does not suspect the least in the world that he has anything to do with Jon's death, or that his first instincts when he learnt about Jace and her were to get rid of Jace. Jace has a better understanding of Valentine's dark side than Clary does.**

 **~Kaelie's and Clary's friendship won't survive a fallout between Clace if ever there is one. Plus Kaelie implied something here. Something she knows and Jace doesn't.**

 **~Jace is seen differently. Remember, we are now in Clary's eyes. She does not know how Jace thinks because he rarely shares those moments, especially when they become personal. Like his jealousy. He only mentioned it, because he feels bad about it, and feels like he cheated Clary out of a sweeter moment.**

 **~I am still curious about what was your favourite part, nonetheless. Though I'm sure many of you enjoyed the lemon, haha.**

💚 **Now, about the reviews. Many of you understood what happened to Clary, and strangely enough, only one of you saw that Jace's are was never mentioned … But anyway, I know the prologue was dark and gloomy, but the story will be rather giddy. Remember, it's Clary's point-of-view, Clary is a rather positive person who sees the good in everyone, even the darkest souls.**

💚 **By the way, about the story I will be working on, you need to vote on my profile, so I can follow the majority. The voting ends on 15-02-2019. So go and vote.**

 **Anyway, Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚


	3. 2: My Guy

**REPOST BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE COULDN'T READ**

 **My dear little broccolis** 💚💚💚

💚 **So here comes a new and long chapter, as promised, though it is not as fast as the other one, as promised.**

💚 **I just want to say a massive thank you to all of you who keep on following/favouriting/reviewing the story. Be sure to keep them coming and to share the story with those you think will like it.**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚

 **.**

 **Chapter 2** **: My Guy (6,2K)**

 **Clary's PoV**

During the two days Jace was away in Mexico, Clary stayed with her father, though she busied herself with Maryse all days long. She couldn't wait for her best friend to be back, so the three of them could plan her wedding the same way they had planned Izzy's. A small part of her was a bit pained that Kaelie was not involved in her future happiness, but she knew that if asked, Kaelie would rather be Jace's best mate than hers. She didn't hold it against the blonde girl, it just made her a bit sad.

Maryse seemed really enthusiast at the idea of Clary getting married, which made her miss a little bit less her mother. No matter how much she tried not to show it, she couldn't help but wish her mother had been there for her, doing everything Maryse was doing with her to get her perfect wedding. Still, she never mentioned it to her Godmother and even less to her father.

And in all honesty, she was still glad that her father was also really involved in the plans for her wedding. She never thought he would actually be so hands-on, even giving out a few addresses he thought would be better for her. Jace, on the other hand, did not seem that into that whole wedding preparation thing. He paid attention and to what she wanted and what she told him over the phone, but he never said anything about what he wanted for their special day. Except for the fact that he didn't want to share the month with her own birthday.

Still, Clary wanted someone else involved in this wedding, if not because of tradition, at least to give Celine Wayland that one thing out of her son's life. She has stayed in a rather distant and polite relationship with the woman, feeling bad for the mother who lost a son for reasons that were completely out of her control. She had tried to understand Jace's point-of-view, and in a way she did, but that didn't mean that she couldn't put herself in Celine's shoes.

That was mainly the reason why she had stayed in contact with Jace's mother, even when they were separated. She couldn't imagine not knowing about her children if she ever got some, and if she could spare Celine the pain of not uncertainty, she would.

So she organised a dinner at a restaurant for the night Jace would be back, knowing in her heart of heart that no matter what, Jace would never be happy to entertain his parents in his own home. He might do it for her, but it would be begrudgingly, and there was already enough resentment to not add to that fire. Clary pondered for a long time as to which location and settled to go to Alex's restaurant, asking him to book a private room for them. If Jace was to get angry, at least there wouldn't be an audience.

Celine seemed so happy to have this opportunity to see her son again that it got Clary a bit worried. She knew Jace, and she knew that he was only doing that for her. He wasn't looking forward to seeing his parents, on the contrary. So a few hours before they were all supposed to meet, she texted Mrs Wayland and let her know,

 **I** **know those past decades have been hard for you, and I can't even begin to imagine how hard it must have been for the past two years to not be able to speak to your son. But I think it would be for the best of you didn't try to fix that relationship that the three of you lost. I think it would be best for every one of you view Jace as a new friend and not as a son, and start building a new relationship out of that. You might think that I am out of line, and I know nothing, but Jace grew up to be a proud man who doesn't let go easily. So I think it would be best for your heart and his pride if you put the parent-child relationship to the past, and simply saw him as a potential good friend. Clary**

Celine didn't reply anything, though the message was marked as read an hour before the dinner, and all Cody could do was hope that she hadn't stepped in some sort of line and offended the woman or her husband.

She waited for Jace to come back from his business trip and together they went to the restaurant, Jace not trying even once to get out of it. She could have gone ahead and told the text face to face to Jace's parents, whilst waiting for him, but she wanted to erase as much as possible that first meeting Jace had with his parents when she arranged another dinner. That time, she had waited for him at the restaurant, and it did not end well.

On their way there, Clary filled the silence, talking about the coming gala for her charity the very next night. She was really excited because it would be their first official outing as a couple, and she couldn't wait to brag in front of certain friends. Jace warned her that he had a few things to deal with beforehand and that he would join her there later on, and for a second, Clary hesitated on asking more about what he had to do.

She wasn't stupid, she knew exactly what kind of business Jace and her father had, but she had always masterfully avoided anything related to it with her father. With Jace on the other hand, she knew that he was just waiting for her to say the word. This was one of the things she wouldn't be able to take away from Jace, he had always been honest with her. Even when it would have been better for him not to. She could tell Jace didn't like that shade of grey they were in, but she wasn't really eager to cross that line either. Especially not when they were on their way to meet her future in-laws.

Once they got to the restaurant, Alec's manager showed them to their private room, where Celine and Michael were already sitting, sipping on water. Jace's mother brightly smiled to them, obviously happy to see her son, and Jace politely greeted her and her husband after Clary.

"Thank you so much for seeing us on such short notice," Clary said with her best cheery voice, hoping to lighten up the tension she could feel thickening in the air.

Celine devoured her son with her eyes as he sat next to his girl, before snapping out of it and turning to Clary, as she rectified the redhead, "No, thank you for having us."

Clary brightly smiled, aware that she was putting more effort into that conversation than usual, and she briefly glanced at Jace, only to see that he was completely normal. Sure he wasn't all smiles and giggles, but she had noticed that outside of their personal moments, she had never seen Jace smile, or simply be carefree. A part of her liked it because it meant that it was something that only she had ever seen. But she wished he would try to let go a bit for his parents' sake.

Still, as the dinner went along, she understood that Jace _really_ didn't care much about his parents. It wasn't a facade to make himself look tougher, it was a fact. She had seen Jace on several business diners with her father, and the way he interacted with his parents was the same as he did with any other person. And though it made her sad, it still made her hopeful. Just like she had said in her text, maybe the connection as a family was broken, but maybe he would find it in himself to see them as friends in the future.

After they ordered their desserts, Clary took Jace's hand in his, and let the Wayland parents know, "So, the reason we asked you to come today is that we are going to get married, and we would like for you to come to the wedding."

Celine swooned, congratulating them, though Clary was sure that she had known since Jace and she had walked to them. Though she was not a lefty and hadn't used her left hand that much, it wasn't easy to hide a ring such as the one Jace had gotten her, and Clary had caught Celine glancing at her left-hand several times throughout dinner.

Still, she couldn't help but feel a cold vibe coming from Jace's father. For a second, she wondered why, when she recalled that in the disastrous evening she had met them, Stephan had been asking a few questions about Jace's activities. If anything, he didn't seem pleased by the direction of the life of his son as taking. After all, who was her father was a secret to no one, and Clary knew that Jace was often linked to her father in the media, though she never talked about it to either of them.

"When is the wedding?" He asked, clearly not as enthusiast as his wife. Clary kept her smile on, though she could tell that something in Jace's position had changed. She didn't know how he did it since it looked like he hadn't moved, but he seemed a bit more on the defensive.

"In the summer of next year. We still haven't booked the place, but you will receive an invitation as soon as we know," She said, addressing directly to Stephan with her best smile. The man nodded, though he was looking at Jace at that moment, but, before another word could be uttered, Jace's phone rang.

Clary had heard his phone vibrate several times throughout the dinner, but Jace never reached to check his messages, which she appreciated. But now that someone was calling him, it seemed he couldn't keep ignoring whoever was trying to reach him. So he got up, excusing himself and leaving the table for a moment.

As soon as Jace left them alone, Stephan let the redhead know, "Don't take me wrong, Clary. I'm happy for you, I'm just not sure Jace is the right man for you."

" _Stephan_!"

"He's my son, and no matter what he does, nothing will change that. But ... I read the news and ... you two seem so different. Not without mentioning that he doesn't look like the marrying type. Or even the family type for that matter."

"He is," Clary assured because she knew that what Jace wanted more than anything in the world were children. "He's just ... very good at keeping to himself."

She didn't want to tell them that part of Jace being who he was, was because of them. It seemed unnecessary to bring them such pain when they were already feeling bad enough about how their son turned out to be. In her heart of heart, Clary knew that Jace would never forgive his parents for leaving him. But she still hoped that they would be able to enjoy meals like this one from time to time.

Jace came as Celine and Clary were talking about wedding plans and arrangements. He took her hand in his, gently squeezing it, s if to reassure her that everything was okay. For a moment, only the two women talked, until Celine let the redhead know that she still had many things from her own wedding that she could lend to her for something old and something borrowed.

At that, Jace objected, "Let's not jinx the family we are trying to build here with cursed objects that did not bring you a happy family."

Clary turned to him, embarrassed for his parents, but Jace simply looked at them, his eyes icy and cold. Then, he got up, prompting Clary to do the same, and politely said, "We will see you again soon. It was nice seeing you."

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **Clary's PoV**

A couple of days after that awkward dinner with Jace's parents, Clary was hosting a gala for her charity. Jace had promised to be there, though he warned her in advance that he would probably be late there, hinting that his own obligations would berate him. She knew that once again, Jace had given her an opening to so about his job and that, once again she chickened out, though she knew that the conversation was long due and that if she kept on postponing it, Jace would find a way to put the matter on the table, without her having a choice to run.

Still, she would rather do it at a different time. She knew who Jace was, she knew who she would be getting married to, she knew Jace was not the ideal Prince Charming. She simply never really acknowledged that fact to him. Probably because Jace had always been brutally honest to her and that she knew he wouldn't sugarcoat the truth for her.

But whenever that long overdue conversation would occur, it wasn't for this night.

When Clary arrived at the gala, she was accompanied by Magnus and Alec, though she knew that Lauren was lurking somewhere in her shadow, since she still didn't find the time to convince Jace to get rid of her. She had to admit that she had expected maze to say something to her, given the fact that he was Jace's best friend, and that she was now Jace's fiancé, but Magnus never mentioned anything about it. Even when Alec commented on her ring in the car ride, Magnus remained silent, making Clary wonder if maybe he disapproved of the relationship, as Kaelie did. A part of her was a bit saddened by it, feeling that she would never be good enough in the eyes of Jace's friends.

The gala in itself was rather dull and uneventful, though she was happy that it managed to generate several thousands of dollars for her cause. Winter would be there soon enough, and she knew that her dream of seeing New York free of homeless was far from coming true. still, she would be able to help many of them this year, just like she had been doing for the past three years.

There were many people that she liked, and many that she didn't particularly hold in her heart, but who were still socialites who were rather generous toward her cause. So she played the perfect hostess, thanking every person as if seeing them had been the highlight of her night, though she was often glancing toward the entrance to see when Jace would appear.

Something that she had not anticipated, was people competing on the new addition to her jewellery and asking who was the lucky lad. Clary kept postponing the reveal, wanting Jace to be there when she would do so. Maybe it was because it was a public event, meaning that the media were here, ready to misinterpret every single one of her word, or maybe because this was how Jace and she could finally officialise to all their engagement, but she still waited for her fiancé to come.

Which he did, halfway through the evening, accompanied by her father and by Jordan. As soon as he spotted her, he strode to her, and kissed her before apologising, "Sorry for the delay. I had to get changed before coming."

She smiled, pecking once more his lips, though a part of her wondered why did he need to get changed. Jace was known for many things, but dressing casually was not one of them. She was sure he could have walked straight from whatever meeting that held him back, and blend in the crowd perfectly … That was if he had been to a proper meeting.

"What shall I get you?" He asked, looking toward the bar, but she shook her head.

"Nothing. I'm actually bursting. Can you hold my bag, whilst I go freshen up … unless you want to come and help me …"

Jace seemed to think about it for a moment, before he shook his head, and kissed her forehead, "I'll hold you up to that one."

Clary shook her head, smiling, and went to the bathroom to relieve her bladder, feeling like this was probably the best sensation in the world at that right moment. Once she was done, she made sure she looked proper, rearranging her hair and straightening the few rumple of her blue dress, when someone entered the bathroom as well.

She turned her head, politely smiling, and saw with surprise that it was Seelie. She wasn't really surprised to find Seelie at the gala, Seelie was a socialite just like her, and she had always been rather generous toward charities. But Clary had hoped to not get in one-on-one with her. In fact, ever since Jace had 'dated' the girl, Clary had always done her best to avoid her, with grace and tactfulness.

"I was hoping to talk to you in private, Clarissa," The ginger girl said, making Clary feel trapped. She couldn't really refuse that to the girl, without being blatantly rude.

"I know that our fathers are … not in the best of terms, but you've always been nice and courteous to me, and I feel like I should return the favour."

"What do you mean?"

Seelie looked down at her hands, clearly looking for her words, before she asked without preamble, "Are you engaged to Jace Wayland?"

"Yes."

Seelie bit her lip, and let her know, "I don't know what he told you, and what he promised you, but that man is a joke. He only cares about one thing, power. He tried to get it through me, and when he couldn't, he's trying to get it through you now. He doesn't care about you. When he'll get what he wants, he'll dump you like an old sock, just like he did to me. And … well, if I can avoid you being hurt like I've been hurt, I'll feel much better."

Clary looked at the girl, not sure of what she could actually say, without sounding like a cold-hearted bitch. She knew that Jace had intentionally played with the ginger's heart, just to get back at her father. But there was no way she could tell that to Seelie. Especially the part where she and Jace had been together when he had let the young girl believe that he was falling for her.

"I don't think he will hurt me, Seelie. But I appreciate you telling me this," Was all she found to say. Seelie looked as if she was about to add something, before she shook her head, obviously judging Clary as someone weak, and probably heading to be in a bad relationship.

Clary gave her a few minutes head start, before exiting the bathroom herself, not sure if she should let Jace know about this girl encounter. If she was honest with herself, she was anxious about what his reaction could be. Not that she thought he would be angry at her, but that he could be completely cold regarding Seelie's feelings and attempt to be nice to Clary. And though she knew that her future husband was someone cold to others, she didn't particularly enjoy seeing it first hand.

When she got back to the main room, Jace was deep in conversation with Alec and her father, but she saw how his eyes swiftly flickered to her for a brief second. And though it warmed her up that he acknowledged her as soon as she entered the room, she was also relieved that he didn't come straight to her, like an overbearing boyfriend.

She went to the bar to get a glass of champagne, and a masculine voice startled her from behind, "You know _everyone_ is going to think that this relationship is arranged."

She half smiled, before turning to Seb, and letting him know, "But of course, you know better."

She had seen him coming earlier with some blond girl at his arm. Though their friendship never got back to what it used to be, they were still friends enough to speak to one another courteously when they would meet at such events, which was bound to happen, given the fact that they ran in the same circles of friends.

Seb glanced in Jace's direction, still involved in his own conversation with the eldest Lightwood, and he let Clary know, "From an outsider point-of-view, Jace is the heir of your father's ' _businesses_ ', and you are your father's daughter. Valentine would be keeping everything in the family with the two of you getting married. Look at it this way, there was more fuss when you were dating Will and I, than when you are engaged to Jace. You have to get used to people telling you this is a sham."

Clary furrowed her brows, not really having thought of it. With Will, it had been different, he was a public figure, and he played with his public image. Seb was an eligible bachelor that had been on magazine several times because of that title, so of course, people commented on her presence. But Jace was some who lived and operated in the shadows, and naturally, she followed his step, not thinking even once how it appeared to the world.

Though she tried not to pay attention to it, she knew that her name or her face had appeared several times in the media. Whether it was for her love life, or for her charity work, or for simply being present at a fashion show.

"Well, let them gossip. I know the truth," She said with defiance, sipping on her champagne. Seb knowingly smiled, his eyes probably looking for his date as he joked,

"Well, I will leave you to that, and look for my date so I can go home in one piece. I wouldn't want your future husband to get the wrong idea of seeing us together, and me never waking up in the morning."

Clary opened big rounded eyes at that, clearly obfuscated. No matter Jace's flaws, he wouldn't go as low as to kill someone for just talking to her, and so she defended him, " _Jace would never try to kill you!_ "

Seb snorted, and wisely said, before going, "Women in love can be so blind sometimes."

She let him go, though she did not agree with his last statement. Sure she loved Jace, but she didn't think she was blinded by love. She knew who Jace was, and who he wasn't, and he wasn't as bad as people seem to think he was. He was far from being an angel, but he wasn't the monster everyone made him be.

The gala went on, turning into something boring as they were getting deeper into the night, and Clary wished she could just go home, instead of having to host the party until it died. It was probably the thing she liked least about this whole socialite thing, not being able to leave at the high of an event.

Shortly after her father left, Seb came to tell her goodbye, and she could swear she felt Jace's gaze on her. But when she turned, all smiles on him, he was nowhere to be seen. instead, she saw Jordan, smirking at her as he stood by a wall. She walked to him, and as soon as she was at a hearing distance, he told her,

"If you're looking for Jace, I think he went to the bathroom. Even boring people who never drink need the loo from time to time."

She thanked him, ignoring the knowing wink he gave her and went to look for her fiancé. She found him in the men's room, and a quick flashback of their first Christmas came to her when he took her quick and rough against a bathroom sink. Jace looked her, his eyes lingering on her blue dress before he let her know,

"Have I ever told you how much I appreciate it when you wear blue?"

She beamed, glad that he liked this little thing she had for him. In all honesty, Jace only told her once that he liked her in blue, but he always showed his 'appreciation' whenever she wore the colour, which was why she always did her best to wear it other often.

She walked to him, playing with the necklace that never left her neck, and countered with a sultry voice, "Have I ever told you how much I loved the bathroom sex we had the Christmas you gave me this?"

For a moment, Jace frowned, not giving Clary the reaction she was hoping out of him. He caressed her face with his thumb, looking deep in her eyes.

"I don't think that would be a good idea, today. I would be anything but fair to you."

She tiptoed herself to kiss his temple, before she whispered to him, "I don't mind, Jace. You know how I like it when you get rough."

As she said so, she let her fingers trail down to his trousers, so they could play with his bulge; and then, she watched Jace swallow hard before crashing his lips to hers. In her mind, there was no doubt that Jace was being reluctant to go on because he was jealous of Seb and of the fact that she and her ex had spent time together.

He had told her on a couple of occasions since their engagement that this was a side of him he didn't like because he had no leash over it. Their first time being intimate again had been about making her forget all about Sebastian instead of being all about them. Sure, every time after that had been very loving and sweet, but Jace still didn't like this emotion in him. And though she understood Jace, Clary had to admit that she didn't mind this side of him. It made him less … in control.

She nibbled on his earlobe, her hand trying to undo the belt, all the while hoping that Jace wouldn't reject her. But he did anything but. He hoisted her up so she would sit on the sink, and cupped her face before passionately kissing her.

She moaned against his lips, feeling that he was reaching for the hem of her dress, and before she could even register how anything had happened he was buried inside of her. He waited for a little, giving her time to adjust to his abnormally large cock; and then, started ramming inside her as if there were no tomorrow.

She bit her lips, trying to refrain herself for making too much noise. She knew that Jace liked it when she was vocal, but she couldn't decently scream her lungs out given their location. So she did the other thing she knew Jace liked most about their coitus, she locked eyes with him.

And just as he gazed deep into her eyes, he slowed down. What had started as a savage and almost animalistic moment was turning into something sweet and intimate, which only ended with Clary reaching her orgasm, swiftly followed by Jace who heaved in her hair how much he loved her.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **Clary's PoV**

When she woke up the next day, Clary found the bed empty next to her, as usual. No matter how many that would happen, she still couldn't understand how Jace managed to sleep so little. Still, she did not linger on it, and after a failed attempt to pet Bastille, she got ready to go to church.

She had been postponing going to see the bishop for two weeks now, and she knew she was going to get a lecture for that. She never pictured herself as a hardcore religious person, but she still went to mess on a Sunday, and she still went to confessional when needed. In a way, she felt better confessing her sins that going to a shrink. Probably because a priest was supposed to care about her soul, and not her bank account.

On her way to the Church, she tried to understand why she was so religious when no one in her family was. Her father was anything but, and her Godmother was only involved because of her. The only person who seemed to understand her attraction to religion was her Uncle Hodge, even though he himself was a non-believer. He used to take her to church and bring her theological books for her to understand better the mystic of the divine.

And the best thing he did for her, in her eyes, was that he opened her to the other religions as well, going as far as getting holly men to explain to her their own religion and kill the cliches one could have about their religion. Which left her a rather open person who never tried to put one religion above the others. In her opinion, they all had the same God, just different ways to apply and perceive the knowledge and commands given.

She was barely in the church that the bishop welcomed her with open arms, though there was some sermon in his tone, "It's been a long time since I've seen you, Clarissa."

She grimaced, knowing that she was in trouble just by the fact that he used her full name. She had been going at the same Church since she was eight, and Father Crowley was more than her spiritual guide, he was also her confidant.

"I've been busy," She apologised, though she knew that it wasn't excuse enough.

"I saw. Nothing should keep you too busy from God."

She could tell that he did not approve of her engagement, by his tone, and by the way, he looked at her ring. But she wasn't surprised. Father Crowley never approved of Jace, when she told him about him as they started dating.

Still, she wished she had been the one to tell the good father about the recent development of her love-life, and not some people magazine. Contrarily to Seb's prediction that no one noticed that Jace and Clary were now an item, several sleazy tabloids had a picture of her and Jace at the Gala for their front cover, announcing their engagement, and declaring to the world that she was no longer on the list of richest bachelorette of New York.

When she saw the pictures, he father reassured her, letting her know that he was the one who made sure that there was a photograph or two at her gala to take pictures of them and officialise their relationship to the world. And though she felt weird about her father thinking so deep into that whole thing, she liked this reality better than the one Seb had depicted for her.

"Well, if you already know, I can cut straight to the case, then. I would like to get married here."

Father Crowley gently shook his head and started walking throughout the church, forcing Clary to follow him, "You know what I'm going to say, Clary. I am a man of the Church, and the Church cannot condone this relationship you have with this man."

She had been expecting him to say that. Though Father Crowley was very much a man of his time on many things, there was still certain aspects of life he was harder on. For instance, he never chastised Clary for having had sex before her marriage, but he never was shy to let her know that the life her father was leading was no good for her.

"He who never sinned cast the first stone," She replied, making the priest nod in accordance. They already had this conversation many times, and Clary never backed down from defending her father the best she could. And she would do the same with her husband to be.

"You want to get married here, but that is no news to me. What about your _fiancé_? Does _he_ want to get married here? I don't think I've ever seen him in a holy place," The Father said, to which Clary automatically replied,

"He came to the Vatican with me!"

The priest gave her a look as they kept on walking, getting closer to the candles. He took a deep breath, and let her know, "Clary … Why do you keep that kind of person in your entourage? I know you can't do a thing about your father, but getting married to Jace Wayland is pushing it."

"I thought you were not supposed to judge," She retorted.

"I am supposed to look after my flock. When one of my sheep is going astray, mingling with the wolf, it is my duty to bring her to reason."

"But maybe the sheep is here to bring the wolf to reason, an show him a peace he had never known. Isn't the Bible teaching to open your door to everyone, especially those in need?"

"If people don't want your spiritual help, Clary …" Father Crowley trailed, implying that she was wasting time with Jace. She shook her head, and accused him,

"That's not very Christian of you."

"You are a good person, Clary. You have a good, giving and loving soul. I don't want to see it go to waste to the likes of _Jace Wayland_."

"He's not that bad," She defended him because though Jace never judged her on being religious, he always was clear to her that he found no attraction in a higher power.

Father Crowley looked at her condescendingly, as he asked her, "How many lives has he taken since you've known him? _Though shall not kill_."

"How many lives has the Church taken over the centuries?"

"Clary … Jace Wayland is just one man, not an institution."

"So he is more likely to stand astray than the Institution that is supposed to be holly and show the example. Mistakes are humans."

"You're too clever for my own good," The priest admitted, though it wasn't the first time he had told her that. This was probably why he liked this parishioner a bit more than the others, because, though she questioned many things, her faith never wavered.

"I just don't think that it's fair for you to judge what he does when the Church was built on so much blood. Nothing in this world is perfect, even less Men. I know he is flawed, I know where he stands when it comes to God, but I also know that despite everything he does, he has a good heart. He is a good man inside, and that's what's important."

"If he is that good of a man, why didn't you go to him in your time of need?" The good priest asked, looking straight into Clary's soul and making her look down, ashamed.

"Because … Jace wants to be a father more than anything. But he also loves me very much so, and I know he would find a way to blame himself if he knew that when we were separated, I lost his baby. There is no point for me to make him feel bad over something that is in the past, and cannot be changed."

The holy man did not say a word, probably seeing that Clary was lost in her thoughts, reminiscing how that week had been one of the worst for her. She remembered seeing the plus sign with Kaelie and crying herself to sleep in her friend's arms.

She remembered how Kaelie insisted that she should let her ex know, and how she knew that her friend was right. Jace ought to know that he was going to be a father. She remembered how she had decided to take an appointment with Kaelie, and how she would go to Jace afterwards. And how nothing happened as planned.

She woke up at the break of down, her bed bloody and her inside as if on fire. A part of her was glad that her father had been away at that time, she didn't need to answer questions she did not want to answer. Tessa called a doctor for her, who told her the obvious, and the maid kept her secret while Clary cried the loss of the life Jace had started in her.

If she was honest with herself, she had hoped that the baby would help reconcile them. But of course, all of this had been turned to dust. When she had come to Church to understand why she was punished, Father Crowley had surprised her, asking why she didn't go to Jace, instead of saying that it was all for the best.

"Clary?"

She startled back to the present, looking at the priest who knowingly smiled at her, "You will have plenty of other chances to have children. In the meantime, you have a wedding to prepare. Let the past be to the past."

.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚 **Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed** 💚

 **.**

💚 **So, the second chapter is here, I know it took some time, but I did warn you. I had a lot to deal with recently on top of that, but here we are. Remember, the review section is open to all, but that doesn't mean you should attack someone for thinking differently than you. Oh, and I LOVE long reviews, so don't be shy.**

 **~ Remember that in the first book, it had been said several times that Clary was religious, and going to church. I don't want you guys to start a debate on religion, or to get offended that your religion is portrayed in this story. Religion is part of life, and I am trying to get this story rather accurate. So, don't kill me.**

 **~ Neither Seelie or Seb are set to be the enemy. I hope it was clear enough in this chapter that their intentions were pure, and not twisted or something.** **Jace is seen differently. Remember, we are now in Clary's eyes. But we can still grasp that she knows him better than anyone else. This is shown mostly with his parents when though he doesn't really show any emotions, she can tell when something changes in him.**

 **~ I am still curious about what was your favourite part, nonetheless. Strangely enough, mine was the last one with Father Crowley (and yes, this is totally a Supernatural wink wink)**

💚 **Now, about the reviews. Glad to see that you all support Bastille, even when he's being salty, and that you guys were all about Kaelie, even if she white lied, and didn't mention the awkward kiss between her and Jace. Someone took note of a small hint that had been lightly dropped during one of the conversations, so kudos to Niamh! As for Clary and Seb, yes they had sex, but always protected, Jace is the only guy Clary had without protection**

💚 **And now be ready, because a few new characters will be introduced next chapter…**

💚 **By the way, about the story I will be working on, you need to vote on my profile, so I can follow the majority. The voting ends on 15-02-2019. So go and vote. (it only work on desktop mode, and you can vote several times)**

 **Anyway, Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚


	4. 3: Love Me Like You Do

**My dear little broccolis** 💚💚💚

💚 **So here comes another chapter, and I know you have been waiting for a while for this one. These past few months have been very hard for me. On all levels. Work, love, mentally. Life is hard, and sometimes you just need to clear the dirt stopping you for moving toward what you want. But I'm back.**

💚 **Also, Mistakes seem to have had the most people to want an update, so I should be working on that story as well.**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚

 **.**

 **Chapter 3** **: Love Me Like You Do (4,9K)**

 **Clary's PoV**

Clary heard a noise that disturbed her sleep, but she didn't think much of it. She just glanced at the clock by the bedside, to see at what time Jace got home, before trying to fight a bit against slumber to wait for him to slip in bed next to her. But she still lost that battle and was awaken again when Jace got in bed almost an hour later.

She rolled, so he could take her in his arms, and smelled his shower gel, which made her wrinkle her nose as she let him know with a sleepy voice,

"You really are a neat freak."

Jace chuckled, holding her a bit closer to him, and asked, "What makes you say that?"

"You _always_ take a shower before coming to bed."

She felt him slightly tense, and no matter how subtle it was, it made any sort of sleepiness disappear from her brain. She looked up, even though it was dark and she couldn't see Jace and hesitated on asking what was wrong. But Jace let her know, without her having to ask anyway,

"I'm not being a neat freak, babe. I just … don't want to disrespect you. This is my way to leave what I do, outside of our bedroom, and never bring my worries and outside problems to our bed."

When Jace said those words, Clary wished that she hadn't spoken, and she kept quiet. They were getting close to that invisible line that she never crossed with her father, and a part of her, still genuine and innocent was hoping that she would be able to dodge this topic the same way she had managed to do it all over those years with her Dad. But the more pragmatic side of her knew that Jace was not like her father, where her father would sugarcoat her and go in her direction to avoid talking about what made him the man he was, Jace always gave her an opening, waiting for her to take that tiny step toward him. And she knew that Jace being him, would not start a family with her until they would have that fateful conversation and make things clear between them.

"Thank you. I appreciate your … thoughtfulness," She said with a small voice, before quickly changing the topic so Jace couldn't push the issue, "By the way, tomorrow night Izzy and Simon are eating with us. I proposed them to have dinner here because Izzy is so curious about what your place looks like. You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course not. This is no longer just my place, remember."

Clary grinned, always loving it when Jace implied that they were one, and she continued, "I was supposed to cook, but I think I'll order some food from your Indian place. I don't know how good Izzy got at cooking in Seattle, and I don't want her to make fun of me if she got better than me."

Though Jace didn't say anything, Clary was sure that he had just patronisingly smiled at her. She knew she was far from being the best cook, but no matter what, Jace never complained, and always ate whatever she made for him, even though he was a much better cook than she was.

"Oh, and I went shopping as well. I found that cute little thing for Bastille. You know those cat trees. Do you mind if I get him one?"

"Trying to bribe a cat, now?" He joked because she had been confiding in him how much it affected her that Bastille still ignored her. Even more when he would ostentatiously go to Jace to be petted, right in front of her, and would dash off as soon as she would try to touch him.

"Well, yeah! Can you blame me? Maybe I should even try that catnip cats are so addicted to," She thoughtfully said, determined to win back Bastille's sympathy.

"He's just a cat, babe. He'll get over it at some point."

Clary rolled her eyes, sure that Jace was not understanding how much Bastille held the grudge against her. Jace might say that he was just a cat, but Clary was sure, the animal didn't like that she disappeared from his routine for so long, and this was his way of showing it.

"Whilst shopping, I saw that Lauren is still _everywhere_! Any chance you can talk to Dad, and ask him to lose her up?"

"No."

This was not the answer Clary had been expecting. She hadn't been expecting Jace to agree with her straight away, but she hadn't been expecting such a determined and firm no either. She wiggled a bit in the bed, so she could face Jace, even if she couldn't really see him, and she asked,

"But … Isn't she kind of useless? You got me to take those shooting lessons for a reason. And it makes even less sense when I'm with you. I mean, isn't it ridiculous for you to be followed around like that? I know you can be … proud sometimes, and I don't think this is helping to have a woman following you around all the time."

There was a small silence, and Clary's eyes got used to the dark enough to see Jace slightly frowning, apparently lost in his world.

"Would you rather have a guy following you?"

"I'd rather have no one following me! And we were talking about you. Don't you feel weird having a girl following when you're with me?"

"In that case, Lauren is staying." She was about to argue, when he added, " _Especially_ when I'm around. She can look after you when I'm all but blinded by you."

Clary rolled her eyes once more, pouting as she could see that her crusade would not be as easy as she assumed. Jace eased the pout out of her lips with his thumb, explaining,

"Many people don't like me, Clary. Many people would do a lot of _unconventional_ things to get me to bend their way. And you being my wife to be to the eyes of the world just gives them the best way to make me bend. That's why your father has been so protective all those years, and that's why I won't change his line of conduct on that. I am not risking it. I'd rather have you alive, but resenting me a little, than dead on the ground, killed by some idiotic punk."

"You're just being paranoid," She reasoned with a condescending tone because nothing ever happened to her or even Maryse who has been with her father all her life long. Jace was seeing too much out of little things. Even her own family died of things that had nothing to do with what either he or her Dad were doing.

"Maybe, but I'm not risking it," He conceded, and Clary knew he was just being lenient to not make a scene.

That was something she had noticed with him, he did not like to argue over small and ridiculous things. So she understood that though this issue meant a lot to her, it wasn't something really important in Jace's eyes. He would have someone follow her like a helpless girl whether she liked it or not. He was just decent enough to let her know beforehand.

A small silence fell between them, until Jace broke it, holding her a bit closer to him, "Don't be mad, babe. I just don't want anything to happen to you."

Clary smiled as he kissed her forehead, and she assured him, "I'm not mad. I was just hoping to get Lauren off my back. I just got my hopes up for nothing."

"Maybe if you made friends with her, you would feel less weirded out by her being around you."

"Yeah, sure." Though she said those words, there was no motivation in her voice. She knew Lauren was not a bad person, to begin with, on the contrary, she was even sure that Lauren was actually one of those rare people who didn't report to her Dad every single little sing she did, but she couldn't get past the fact that she was a bodyguard, to begin with.

Jace must have felt her lack of enthusiasm toward that idea because he tilted her head up so he could see better the silhouette of her face before he bowed his head and gently caressed her lips with his. Those kisses he gave her were always the ones she liked the best. Sure she liked when he was being passionate, and even more when things would get a bit rough. But on the intimate side of things, those light kisses that held so much were one of the things that made her fall in love with him.

When he broke the kiss, she reached out to him, to prolong it, colliding her body to his, and feeling his lips spread into a smile when she did so. His hand languorously travelled down her body, all the way to the hem of her nightgown until his fingers met the skin of her thighs.

Before Jace could try to lead anything between them, she climbed on top him, never breaking their kiss and losing her own fingers in his hair, glad that he was not one of those men who kept their hair too short to grab.

Jace's hands found their way to her ass, holding tight to it, and making her inwardly smile. Jace had always been very clear that he liked that part of her body best, especially when they were starting to get intimate.

Their lovemaking was something sweet and slow that did not require any word being uttered

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **Clary's PoV**

As she was waiting for Jessica, Clary sipped on her coffee, trying to figure out how she could get more people from her entourage to get more involved in her charity. They quite gave money without arguing and were rather generous about it, but they never took that set further to _actually_ help the less fortunate than them.

She knew that no socialite wanted to get involved with homeless, even less the ones her age, who only thought of clubbing and getting it on with the hottest guys/girls in town. She was not going to be a hypocrite and pretend that she was above all of that, she liked clubbing as much as the next girl, and Jace was more than easy on the eye; but she still thought that her luck in birth should be given back to those less luck than her.

She was still lost in her thoughts, when Jessica walked to her, as bubbly as ever, with the briefcase that never left her side, and a man walking next to her.

Clary watched them come to her, surprised that Jessica never mentioned in three years they have been working together that she had a boyfriend. But then again, she never mentioned Jace to anyone but Izzy.

Though Jessica was always very business-like with Clary, the redhead had to admit that the brunette had a certain charm to herself. She wasn't beautiful per se, in fact, though she would never say it out loud, Clary thought of her manager as rather plain, when it came to her features. She was a brunette, of average height, with brown hair and no distinctive feature to take her out of the crowd. And still, she could catch someone's eye. Maybe it was her quirkiness, or maybe it was that charismatic aura around her. Still, there was something about her that called attention, though it wasn't her physic.

The guy next to her, though, seemed to come straight out of a movie. His eyes were so blue that Clary could distinctively see them from a distance, his hair raven black, bringing even more attention to his eyes, and his skin was obviously sun-kissed.

Jessica brightly smiled at Clary, before hitting in front of the redhead, and introducing the stranger, "This is my brother James. He just came back from India and decided to not let me know until I was out of the door to meet you. Sorry about him, he's an obvious pain in my ass."

Clary dismissed the thing with a smile, though she couldn't help but feel a ping at the obvious banter between the two siblings. All her life, she had hoped to have that again, when she would get to find Jon, but those dreams had been shattered to the floor when Jace brought her the urn continuing his ashes.

"Don't listen to her. I'm the best guy you'll ever meet. She just forgets because baby sisters are annoying like that," He joked, waving his hand in direction of his sister as if she was a nasty bug.

Jessica rolled her eyes, ignoring his gesture as she pointed, "Clary already found the best guy she'll ever meet." She showed the ring on the redhead's finger. "And I would mess with _that_ guy if I were you."

It was Clary's turn to roll her eyes. She knew that the world only perceived Jace as a criminal, but everyone always made him seem crueller and colder than he actually was. Jace was actually a really sweet man, who simply kept more to himself than other people usually did.

"I'm just saying that I'm awesome, and letting her know. Why do you always have to make it sound dirty?" James retorted, shaking his head condescendingly with a smile on the corner of his lips.

Clary laughed at that, a part of her getting even more excited for Izzy to come home, just so she could witness that kind of banter more regularly.

"I'm actually eating Indian food tonight," She said, to make a little conversation and not be rude to Jessica's brother, going straight into business.

"I'm sure it's nothing compared to the real thing."

"Well, it is quite good. It's actually the only Indian food Jace eats. I'll give you the address if you want." He nodded, though she was sure he did simply out of politeness. "How long did you stay in India anyway?"

"A year. Teaching young girls about maths and English."

Clary opened widely her eyes with surprised delight, seeing that the charitable gene was something that obviously was common to the two siblings. Then, she turned to Jessica to let her know,

"I was actually thinking of doing something like that. I don't want to content myself with just helping here. I want to help as many people as possible."

Jessica nodded her approval, though Clary could tell that something was bothering her. She was about to ask, when her brother intervened, apparently reading well into his sister's feelings,

"You can't really start helping people you've never seen first hand. That is such a rich people way to think that money will solve everything. It helps, a lot, but as long as you haven't seen it first hand, you can't relate."

Clary stared at the man, startled to have basically been called a rich bitch by someone she barely knew; before she burst in laughter. It was so refreshing to have someone not sugarcoat what they would say to her and be simply blunt, that she couldn't help but laugh.

Jessica warily looked at her, not expecting that reaction, and clearly thinking that Clary would lose it against her brother. "Well, I guess I need to go to India."

James rose an eyebrow at that, holding back what he was thinking and clary smirked, "I am not one of those rich people who can't live it rough. I lived in a case whilst in Peru and liked it very much."

"Well, in that case, maybe I should take you there and show you around. When you start being serious about helping out abroad."

Clary broadly smiled, already picturing herself with Jace backpacking through India with James as their guide. From the little time they had just spent together, she was sure that she would find herself liking James as a very good friend, and there was no doubt in her mind that Jace would too.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **Clary's PoV**

As soon as there was a knock on the door, Clary bounced to the door, all too happy to see her best friend again. But the eager embrace she was ready to give the brunette was cut short as soon as she set her eyes on Izzy. The young woman was showing a growing stomach.

For a second, Clary froze, not expecting to see her best friend pregnant, before she happily squealed and jumped in the brunette's arms.

"Why didn't you say so? I'm so happy for you guys!"

Izzy giggled, giving Clary back her embrace as she explained, "To be honest, no one knows but Mom. We didn't even tell Simon's Mom yet. We just thought we'd let people see the obvious."

Clary grinned, taking a step back to look at her glowing friend, before she winked at Simon, "Finally those spermatozoids have decided to kick in and make me the best godmother in the world. I am the Godmother of course?"

Her two friends rolled their eyes, a teasing smile on both their lips. They followed her to the kitchen area, where the table was dressed for four, and she let them know of the whereabouts of her fiancé,

"Jace went to pick up the food. He shouldn't be long now. We were supposed to be drinking whilst waiting for him, but now…"

"Hey! I can still drink!" Simon exclaimed, earning a dirty look from his wife, though he didn't seem to have a care in the world. On the contrary, he grinned as Clary pure him some whiskey and he claimed,

"Well, I have to drink for two, now, haven't I?"

Clary laughed, watching her other best friend doing her best to stop herself from smiling; and once everyone had a drink in front of them, Simon and Izzy explained how they thought one wonderful morning that she was pregnant, after being sick for two whole weeks, and how they had decided to come back here so Izzy could be with family.

Jace arrived just when Clary was asking if they already knew the sex of the baby. Izzy never got to answer, but Clary didn't care much at that point. She carefully studied Jace's reaction when his eyes landed on her best friend's obvious secret. But as usual, Jace kept his thoughts and emotions for himself. He didn't even comment on it, simply stating that Mrs Parvarti has been more generous than usual with their food.

Though she knew she shouldn't feel anxious about anything, Clary couldn't help but feel a knot in her stomach. Maybe e seeing her friend already pregnant would put some ideas in Jace's mind, and make him more pressing as to when they would have children. And though she was happy to have her friend back, she wished all of the sudden that she had known beforehand, so she could have preempted this whole situation with Jace.

During dinner, Izzy made a comment about Bastille and how she had been hoping to see him again, all grown up. Which made Clary retort with gritted teeth,

"Don't expect much. He's probably going to give you a hard time as well."

"Oh, what do you mean?"

"He's been ignoring ever since I've moved in," She complained to her friend, earring a snicker from Simon and a smirk from Jace. Izzy chuckled as well, though she tried to fight against it for a moment or two.

The rest of the evening was spent mostly talking about Izzy and Simon coming back to New York, and how they were going to settle down in Izzy's old apartment. Izzy made many plans for the upcoming weeks, most of them concerning Izzy's older brother's wedding which would be a very private affair with only family members and very close friends.

When came time for dessert, Kaelie joined them, all happy to see her friend again. Unlike Clary, she didn't get to go and see her every once in a while for she was too focused on her studies. As soon as she saw Izzy's prominent stomach, she squealed and hugged her friend, though she took the time to spare a glance at Clary. None of them said a word, but Clary knew what Kaelie wasn't saying. She didn't dare look at Jace once more and invested herself even more in her conversation with Simon.

For a couple of hours, the five of them spent some good time together, making Clary feel like Izzy and Simon never left. Only Alec was missing, and everything would be like good old times. And though it seemed that Jace blended in, it felt like he wasn't part f the group. More that he was part of the room.

When it came time to leave, Izzy stayed behind for a little while, and Jace miraculously disappeared upstairs to give the girls some alone time. As soon that it was just the two of them, Izzy asked,

"You happy, Clary?"

"Of course! Why would you even ask?"

Izzy hesitated for a second, glancing at the stairs, before she let her friend know, "It's just that … Jace hasn't even smiled once. Or … I don't know, he seems so … _cold_."

"Jace has always been like that."

"Yes. But things are different now, aren't they? You'd think he would show that he cares for you."

"He does show it, but it's only something that he keeps … private. It's just how he is. He keeps his emotions and feelings just for the two of us."

Izzy nodded, apparently satisfied with that answer before she smirked and teased, "Well, he does keep other parts of him just for the two of you."

Clary wiggled her eyebrows, the horny part of her hoping she would get a sneak peek of those other parts that Jace kept private for her. She glanced at the stairs, not surprised to see them empty, and she broached another topic,

"So when are we going to go maternity shopping?"

"I was thinking tomorrow? It feels so good to be back and simply plan shopping with you in a whim."

"I know! I am so happy to have you back Iz," She happily exclaimed, taking her friend in her arms.

The two girls hugged, before saying their farewell until the next day, and Clary went to the kitchen space to clear the table, all the while wishing she was back home and Tessa would take care of it.

Jace was by her side barely a minute after Izzy left, helping her with the cleaning in a much more efficient and rapid way. For a moment, none of them said a word, until Clary let her fiancé know,

"It was good seeing Izzy again. I am so happy she is back and just a few doors down."

"I could tell," Was all Jace had to say, making Clary smile at him. No matter how others would say about how it never showed that Jace cared, she knew he did, because he always paid attention to the tiniest details about her.

She stopped with her cleaning and stared at Jace as he was washing the dishes. For a moment, she considered not saying anything and simply carrying on her merry way, but she knew it wasn't healthy. On the contrary, that zone of grey was the reason they broke up for two years.

"You didn't say anything about her being pregnant."

"Was I supposed to?"

"Well … didn't it make you feel impatient? I know how much you want to be a father."

Clary carefully looked at Jace, studying his face, his shoulders, anything that could give her an indication of what he was feeling at the moment. She watched him dry his hands before he turned to look deep in her eyes.

"I'm not going to rush you into having children, Clary. You gave me your terms, and we'll have your big summer wedding that will make Cinderella pale with envy before we talk about children. Seeing your friends didn't make me forget that."

"So you're not put off by having the wedding first?"

Jace slightly furrowed his brows, breathing deeply before taking her chin between his fingers and stating, "I already told you, babe. You mean the world to me. When will you understand?"

She smiled, happy beyond words. It was for moments like that that she was ready to endure everyone criticising her being with Jace. No one knew what Jace was really like. Not even her father. No one but her.

Izzy just said so, Jace seemed cold to the world. And still, he was sweet to her when it was just the two of them. Still, he bore his heart to her when there was no witness. He trusted her with the raw side of him hat no one else would ever see.

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed the man she loved, conveying all the love she had for him in that kiss. She felt him smile against her lips before he held her closer to her. Their kiss was soft and tender, but before he could go any further, Jace broke it and rested his forehead against hers,

"I have to take care of something. Don't wait for me, tonight."

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **Clary's PoV**

It was the middle of the night when Clary woke up covered with sweat, screaming her lungs out. For a minute, she stayed sitting in her bed, trying to calm down her heart as she contemplated going to the doctor the next day. She has had night terrors for as long as she could remember, and she had been avoiding taking sleeping pills ever since John left, but lately, her night terrors had been so violent that the idea of sleeping pills was not so bad.

She stayed in bed, trying to get over her scare, and wishing Jace was there to calm her down like he already did several times. She knew he was curious as to why she had those night terrors, but he never pushed her to explain the reason behind them. It was just weird to admit that the sad little girl she was when she lost her mother never grew up and never managed to get over it.

After five long minutes, she got up, much more because of thirst than because of bravery, and she used the torch of her phone to lighten her way to the kitchen. She drank two glasses of cold water, watching blankly in front of her as she pondered if she should maybe simply wake up and go on her merry. It was past four already, after all.

She poured herself another glass of water when she heard a noise behind her making her snap the torch of her phone to localise the source of that unusual noise. She had expected to see Bastille but saw a man standing a few feet away from her, making her scream bloody murder as soon as the light shows his clothes covered with blood.

.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚 **Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed** 💚

 **.**

💚 **So, the third chapter, I know it took a long time, but as I said, life. Remember, the review section is open to all, but that doesn't mean you should attack someone for thinking differently than you. Oh, and I LOVE long reviews, so don't be shy. Especially with that cliffhanger, haha**

 **~ Remember that in the first book, it had been said several times that Jace was perceived as cold by everyone. Izzy is not trying to break them apart, she just wants to make sure her friend is happy and not going in a toxic relationship. Remember that Izzy never saw Jace the way we saw him, no matter what Clary told her.**

 **~ And remember that Jessica has been introduced in the Clary chapter of the previous chapter.**

 **~ Jace is not different, just seen through Clary's eyes instead of his own, please remember that.**

 **~ I am still curious of what was your favourite part, nonetheless. Mine was James's introduction, as well as Jace saying that Lauren is staying.**

💚 **Now, about the reviews. Glad to see that you didn't start hating on Clary and her miscarriage. I know how much some of you don't like her. You are all rooting for her. And yes, Father Crowley will be a recurrent character, given the fact that this is a Clary's point-of-view story and that she is much more religious than Jace. And also, remember that Jace is seen as a criminal in he shadow of Valentine Morgenstern (the kingpin) and that Clary is seen as a sweet girl who cares about charity and trying to make the world a better place. They seem so different, that the ones who care for her will try to warn her sweet nature against him.**

 **Anyway, Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚


	5. 4: Stay

**My dear little broccolis** 💚💚💚

💚 **So here comes a new chapter, and it is earlier than you expected, haha. I am still in the process of figuring out my life, but it is getting better. Hehe.**

💚 **Also, could you guys do me a favour? So many of you probably know that I am writing my own book. But guess what, it is available now on Amazon, both ebook and paperback. It would mean the world to me if you checked that out, and left a review there as well about the book, because you know I like reviews, haha.**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚

 **.**

 **Chapter 4** **: Stay (4,8K)**

 **Clary's PoV**

For a long moment, Clary stared at Jace, avoiding looking at him in the eyes and completely hypnotised by the blood on his shirt. Though there were a few stains on his torso, it was mainly his sleeves that were covered; even his hands had their fair share of gore.

And finally, life seemed to come to her, though it only came out as a must squeak as she asked with a wavering voice, "What happened?"

During the two years that they had been together, she had never seen Jace in such a state. Even when he came back from the dead, he had been in better conditions that he was at that precise moment.

"It's not mine," He dismissed, taking off his shirt and using it to wipe the blood on his hands. "Why are you up so late? I told you not to wait for me."

She was about to let him know about her night terror when she realised that her seeing Jace with someone else's blood all over him meant that they were bound to have that conversation she had been delaying for so long. She swallowed back her tears, feeling a lump in her throat.

"Well, I should get back to bed now," She said, her voice stronger than she had expected. She turned her head and started walking to the stairs, but as soon as her foot was on the first step, Jace stopped her, his hand wrapped around her upper arm.

"Are you not going to ask where that blood comes from?"

"I'm tired. I want to go to bed."

Jace didn't let her go, and she could feel his strong gaze on her. For a while, she resisted, fighting against this discussion she so did not want to have, until she finally turned around, though she still did not meet up his eyes.

"Clary …" He said with a sweet voice, but she kept looking down. "This is who I am …" She remained silent, not saying a word and hoping that Jace wouldn't push it any further. "And you've known it all along. Not acknowledging it doesn't make it less true."

He waited for a little while, probably waiting for her to say something, but she simply looked down. She knew he was right, she had known all along who he was. If she was honest with herself, part of her crush as a teenager was probably due to that bad boy aura he had around him, to the fact that she knew he was dangerous. But suspecting something and knowing for a fact were two different things.

Moreover, saying out loud that Jace was a mobster was acknowledging the fact that her father was, and she had been so good at avoiding that topic all her life she didn't want to see her father as anything else than her father. And she didn't want to see Jace as anything else but the sweet loving guy he was around her.

And yet, at that right moment, as he was shirtless, with traces of blood on his arms, she could see the criminal she refused to see all those years. That was probably why she wouldn't look at him in the eyes, she didn't want to see the mobster he was. The powerful, but cold and inflexible man that could easily take a life, without feeling an ounce of guilt. Despite the fact that she knew he had a good heart, she couldn't deny anymore what everyone had been warning her against, Jace was a man with a stained soul, no matter how much she loved him.

"I am not your father, Clary. I won't let yourself stay in that delusional world where you pretend not to know what I do. I can understand that you want no part in it, but I won't disrespect you by lying about who I am and what I do."

She nodded, not sure of what else she could do. She had known this conversation was coming since the day Jace proposed, and there was nothing she could really do or say on that matter. Jace wouldn't quit everything he was just for her, and a part of her didn't want him to anyway. When they had that talk in Italy, it made her realise that Jace liked being who he was, and she didn't want to take that away from him.

She just had to live with it. As Maryse and Jace told her, this was not something that she was going to escape anyway. He father was known worldwide to be a kingpin, this was bound to follow her for the rest of her life. Better with someone who knew it already and whom she loved from the bottom of her heart.

With a little heave, Jace closed the distance between them and kissed her forehead, making her lean against his chest, forgetting for a moment that he was sticky from another man's blood.

"I am going to take a shower. Come with me," He said, though it sounded more like a proposition than a declaration.

She silently followed him to the bathroom, but when the bright lights lit up, she broke down in tears. Maybe it was seeing the blood under a better light, or maybe it was stepping into another room, and resetting her mind, or maybe it was because she had been suppressing that moment all her life.

Jace watched her cry, taking her in his arms and holding her against him in a soothing way; but before her tears could turn into uncontrollable sobs, she hiccuped and looked up, demanding,

"You are not my father, so explain to me _why_ you do this! Forget the sugarcoats, and don't elude like you always do. Tell me why you take so much pleasure in doing … _that_?"

Jace didn't even blink, simply bringing his hand to her face to erase the tears from her cheek with his thumb as he let her know,

"Because I can. Because that's what I'm good at. Because over time, I came to like it. Because the perks outweigh the downs."

"The perks? _What perks_? Staining your soul by claiming lives you had no business claiming?"

She knew she shouldn't have asked. If there was one thing Jace had always been with her, it was honest. No matter how many times he eluded when convenient, when she had asked for straight answers, Jace had always been raw with her, giving her the truth in its purest form. And this time was no different.

He took a minute step back, raising an eyebrow at her as he started stripping and reminded her of something crucial about him, "You know very well that I don't care about that. I am not a religious man."

"Still, there are no perks on being a … who you are."

"On being a mobster, you mean? _That's_ who I am, Clary. Not saying the word won't change that."

He was now naked before her, and for a moment they stared at each other before he turned to switch on the water. Clary stood there not sure of what else she could say. She had always known that about Jace, or about her father. But she had let herself live in that sweet illusion that none of it was true.

She deeply breathed in through her nose, swallowing her tears as she contemplated the idea of letting Jace to his shower and simply going back to bed to cry in her pillow the loss of her innocence. That tiny thing that she had managed to keep for so long, and that Jace had just shattered without even batting an eye. But then again, as he just said, he was a mobster, this was who he was, so why should he feel bad about any of this?

Jace longly looked at her, love echoing in the honey of his eyes, before he gently caressed her cheek and let her know, "And you yourself enjoy those perks every day. Your charity, your lifestyle, your clothes, all of those are perks brought to you by who your father is."

As he said so, his fingers traced the outline of her satin nightgown, accentuating his words by pointing out the luxurious clothes she was wearing, before he stripped her as well. When she was as naked as he was, she strangely felt bolder. Probably because at this right instant, they were in such a raw moment of truth, both standing as equals, no matter how much Jace was doing all the talking and the reasoning.

"I wouldn't mind giving all of that up, Jace. If it meant you not having to—" She started defending herself, not liking how Jace was making her feel like she was simply shallow and materialistic. But Jace had a small smile, barely hiding his chuckle as he cut her off,

"Of course you would mind. You just say that, because you've never been at the wrong end of the food chain. You've never been at the bottom. You never had to beg or steal to eat, you never had to go to sleep, unsure of the next day, you never had to use the sky as your only rooftop.

Life is much harder than your Dad has made it be for you."

And though she knew she shouldn't, she couldn't help but have a disabused smile creep on her lips. She knew Jace was right. It seemed like such a romantic notion to live only from love, but the truth was just as he said, much harder than she ever experienced it.

Jace traced her lips with his thumb, muttering, "One of the perks."

She looked at him, confused and hoping that he would explain what he just said. He simply smiled, picking her up and putting her in the shower with him before kissing her with delicacy. She felt him tense as the hot water hit his body, making her appreciate the effort he was doing by having a hot shower with her.

She looked down, as the water washed away the blood Jace had on his hands, but though she knew this shower was for Jace's benefice, she felt that a part of her was washed as well. She felt like it was her innocence that was going in the drain as well. That innocence that she kept on holding on to, no matter what, ignoring all the signs and flaws of her father's life.

For a long time, the two of them stayed for a long time under the hot shower, with her in Jace's arms. And though she couldn't tell what had triggered it, she knew it was her turn to do something. Jace had been honest and straightforward with her, it was her turn to make a step toward him.

Silently, he reached for his loaf, and squeezed some soap on it, before lifting her arm to wash his body. Even though it was a truth she had been trying to run from for a long time, she didn't care. She loved Jace. She wouldn't be able to change him, even if she wanted to. She had always defended him when people started having gos at him, and knowing for a fact who he was wouldn't change that. She had made a choice when she had agreed to marry him, and even though she hadn't wanted to admit it at the time, she knew the consequences.

She rubbed the loaf all over his body, scrubbing a bit harder where blood had stained his skin, and once he was all cleaned, she let him know, "I still love you, Jace. No matter what. It doesn't change a thing. I still choose you."

He cupped her face with love and gentleness, looking straight in her eyes as he smiled at her. "I never doubted that."

Then, they left the shower and headed to bed where Clary fell asleep safely locked in her fiancé's arms.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **Clary's PoV**

When she woke up the next day, for a moment, Clary forgot about what had happened the night before. She was just feeling gloomy. It took her a little while to figure out what could have put her in that mood before she remembered how she could no longer pretend knowing nothing of Jace's and her father's side activities.

With a deep heave, she dismissed the thought and got ready to shop with her best friend, putting away her own feelings so she could focus on her friend and her unborn child. The two girls spent most of their day shopping, talking about trying to figure out a schedule so they could see each other as often as possible. Especially since for the first time in their lives, they were living in the same building.

Clary whined a bit to her friend that she still had to deal with Lauren and that Jace had been unbendable about that issue, and Izzy talked a lot about her apprehensions concerning motherhood.

"Mom made it look so simple. I don't think I ever saw her struggle or doubt herself, and … I don't know, I feel like I'm going to mess this up big time. And I just have the one kid to take care off. How do other women do with many kids and a job, or a business like Mom did?"

"I'm sure you'll be fine, Iz," Clary assured her, feeling like her friend was stressing herself out by putting too much pressure on herself.

"Of course you're going to say that, I'm your best friend. You _have_ to say so."

"You know me. If I thought you'd suck at being a Mom, I'd tell you. I'm just reminding you that you thought that you would suck at being a wife, and now, Simon loves you even more, if that's even possible. Don't stress yourself over all of this, it will give you wrinkles, and it's not good for my future Goddaughter."

Despite herself, Izzy laughed, shaking her head dragging them into yet another boutique as she pointed out, "We don't even know the sex yet. Don't try to put words in my mouth that I never said."

Clary innocently grinned, following her friend to the maternity section of the boutique where the brunette picked up a book about pregnancies and flipped through it, explaining,

"To be honest, the more I read into it, the more I realise that it's _really_ not that easy."

"Of course it isn't. Otherwise, men would be able to procreate as well," Clary countered, making the two of them laugh with glee.

"I can't wait for you to be pregnant too. I hope it won't be long after your wedding, so our children can be close in age, just like us," Izzy gushed, snapping the book close and brightly smiling at the redhead.

All Clary could do at that right moment was smile as well, and showing more excitement than she was feeling. She never actually told her friend about her miscarriage, due to the fact that they hadn't been living in the same States at the tragic moment.

And now that Izzy was back, Clary couldn't see the point in scaring her pregnant best friend with tales of how she had a miscarriage coming out of nowhere and how she was still hurt by it when she thought about it again. Izzy was already stressed enough as it was, and there was no good dwelling in the past anyway.

After they finished their shopping sessions (which took most of the day), they took a cab back to their building, but before even going out of the car, Clary had an epiphany and decided to go and see her father. She knew that simply spending some time with him would put her out of the gloomy state she woke up to and was bound to go back to if she went back to an empty flat.

She let Izzy know of her plans and told the cab driver to take her to her father's place. On the way, she pondered on letting her father know that she was coming, but decided against it, settling to surprise him. As soon as she got in the mansion, she was met, by Tessa who let her know that her father was waiting for her in the dining room, making her frown. Though she knew that Lauren had probably been tailing her, part of the deal was for Lauren to not blabber about where she was going and who she was meeting, so she could have a semblance of private life.

When she got to the dining room, she saw the table dressed for two, and her father warmly smiling at her, disregarding the newspaper he was reading. She walked up to him to greet him, and he let her know,

"I saw Jace for lunch, and he said that you would come and spend the night."

She did her best to keep her surprise to herself as she kissed her father's cheek, all the while wondering how Jace had known when even she didn't know she would. It had been a sudden decision, and Jace had known since lunch according to her father.

"He said that you were nostalgic of me," Valentine proudly added, visibly happy that his daughter has been missing him.

And just y that simple statement and tone of voice, Clary realised the depth of Jace's love for her. He had known her well enough to know that she would go back to her father, even though he hadn't spoken to her of the day. And yet, he did not burst the bubble Clary had with Valentine. It was obvious that her father had no idea of what actually brought her back to his home.

Though Jace had made a point on telling her what he did for a living, he still gave her and her Dad the pretence of a life they had all their lives. The two of them had always been happy not talking about that aspect of Valentine's life, and Jace respected that.

Clary smiled at her father and sat in front of him as if nothing. She wondered out loud what Tessa had cooked, but instead of answering, her father furrowed his brows and asked with concern,

"Anything you'd like to talk about?'

"No, no. Jace was right, I was just missing you, Dad," She assured him with her best convincing smile as Tessa came in with a vegan moussaka.

"You know, you don't _have_ to wait until the wedding to move in. You can move in here tomorrow. You know that I won't mind."

Clary gently smiled at her father but kept herself from making any kind of promises. Though she knew that her father's invite came from the heart, she was not ready yet to give up the freedom she and Jace had. She wanted to enjoy as long as possible their time alone before her father or their kids would get in the way.

The two of them ate their dinner in a rather peaceful silence, and whilst they finished their deserts, sipping on their digestive coffees, Valentine said as if nothing,

"Maryse has been talking to me." He slid a jewellery box in Clary's direction, making her frown with interest. She never said anything to her Godmother about wanting a jewel of any kind, so she couldn't be more curious as to what was in the box.

She took it and opened it, only to reveal a beautifully jewelled hair-comb with sapphires ornamenting it, and wide enough to hold a big chunk of her hair up. She traced the design with her fingers, smiling at her Dad for the gesture, though she still wasn't sure what had initiated it; and he explained,

"Your mother was wearing it on our wedding day."

Clary immediately looked back at the jewel, seeing it even more treasurable now that she knew its origins, and she did her best to hold back her tears.

"Maryse said that, though you're trying to hide it, you've been blue about the wedding because … well …" He cleared his throat a little, and continued, "I thought you'd appreciate having … a bit of her with you."

Without even thinking about it, she got up and rushed to her father, hugging him and silently thanking him for what he was doing. She knew how hard it must be for him, he never talked about her Mom. And still, he went digging in her possessions, just so he could give her something of her. Something old, something blue and something borrowed.

"I love you, Dad. Always have, always will."

"Love you too, sweetheart."

They kept their embrace for a little while longer before Clary went to her bedroom with her new treasured possession. After getting ready for bed, she looked online for bridal hairdos that would include and compliment the hair-comb, feeling once again so thankful toward her Godmother. More than once, Maryse had intervened in her favour so Valentine would be more lenient. But this must have been the best of all those times.

After scrolling for a couple of hours on Pinterest, she yawned and rolled on her bed, ready to go to sleep, but slumber evaded her. She tried to force herself for what seemed to last forever until she admitted to herself that it was a lost cause. She knew what she was missing, and called her fiancé, just to hear his voice a little.

Jace picked up at the first ring, though she had expected him being busy.

"How did you know?" Was the first thing she asked.

"I know you, babe."

"I didn't even know myself. But thanks for not telling him about what we talked about yesterday night."

"I already told you, you will always come first."

Clary smiled, loving that, though he was saying that, it was his actions that meant more for her. With a little heave, she admitted the reason for her call, "I wish I hadn't been that lazy, so I could be home with you right now."

"I'm not home, so you're not missing out on much," He let her know. She was about to ask if he was still working but decided against it. Though she could no longer pretend with him that she didn't know what he did, she would prefer having that sort of conversation face to face.

"Dad gave me a hair comb that belonged to mo for the wedding. So I could have something old, blue and borrowed."

"You must be so happy."

"I am. and the piece is so pretty. It has sapphires and diamonds. I'm sure I can actually show it to you without jinxing us. It isn't part of the dress after all."

"In any case, I can wait for the wedding and be even more awed when I'll see you then," Jace announced, making Clary deeply blushed.

Sure Jace was not a very romantic guy, nor a guy who liked to talk about his feelings (or even show them), but when he had those small outbursts of genuine romance, she could tell it came from his heart.

And though she had just been complaining about wishing that Jace was with her, she was happy he wasn't witnessing her blushing like a school girl.

"Dad also proposed for us to move in now," She lightly said, changing topics.

"And what do _you_ want?"

"To be honest, I don't want to live with him _now_. Kitchen sex will be out of order when we do so, and I happen to quite like it." She heard him chuckle to her joke, though they both knew that there was a lot of truth behind it.

"And loud sex as well. And I know how you like it when I'm vocal…" She trailed because she had noticed that the more noise she made when they were intimate, the more Jace let go of his natural control.

"I won't sell the place, babe. Even after we get married. We can still use it after moving in with your Dad," Jace reasoned, and she could hear him walk through a building. He was probably on his way home.

"Oh well. I still don't want to move in now. But I'll probably come and see Dad once in a while. I don't want him feeling alone, or like I've abandoned him. Maybe when you'll have … your late nights."

"I thought you didn't like sleeping alone," Jace argued, and she could swear he was smirking as he said so.

"It's a small sacrifice of one night once in a while."

"So maybe I should simply go back home then." And just as he said those words, someone knocked on Clary's door.

A wide smile spread on her lips and she jumped to open her bedroom door, all too happy to see her man on the other side of it, hanging up on his end of the phone. Without thinking, she threw herself at him, kissing him wildly as she let him know, "You're the sweetest."

She didn't know if Jace had been planning all along to come and see her, or if he made the decision whilst talking on the phone with her, she just appreciated that he came to her.

He kissed her longly, taking her breath away as she jumped in his arms and he took her to her bed. He delicately laid her down, leaving her lips for her neck, and she couldn't help but ask, "You're staying through the night, right?"

Jace upped himself on his elbows, staring deep into her eyes, before letting her know, "Last time I checked, I was no longer your closeted boyfriend, but your fiancé. Or did that change without my knowledge?"

She shook her head, a small smile on her lips, and he kissed her again, grinding against her burning core. She moaned against his lips, trying to get more friction, and he wickedly smiled at her,

"Now let's practice this silence sex you were talking about."

He kissed her back, making her feel so special at that right moment that she wanted it to never end. It was their first time in her house since they've been engaged. Their first time as a husband and wife to be, under her roof. And as he started undressing her, she stopped him, feeling bad about what she was about to say,

"Could you do something for me?"

"Anything," He said, before sucking the junction between her neck and shoulder, making it even harder to keep her thoughts straight.

"Can we … keep this place for our … wedding night?"

For a moment, Jace seemed confused, which surprised Clary. She couldn't recall the last time Jace had been startled in her presence. still, she explained, "I just want our first time here to be special, to be … after the wedding"

"So to make it clear, you want to keep the mansion as 'virgin territory'?" Though his face was straight, Clary could tell that he wanted to laugh at her. But no matter what, she didn't feel like it was that ridiculous of a demand. They would build their whole married life there, and she wanted to do it right. At least in this place.

"You do remember that we already popped that cherry a few years ago. The eve of your twenty-first birthday, in fact."

"Well … It wasn't official. _We_ weren't official back then, nor engaged. I just …"

Jace finally broke out of his mask and chuckled, before rolling on the side and kissing her lips as he gave her what she wanted,

"I get it, we'll wait."

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚 **Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed** 💚

 **.**

💚 **So, a new chapter, I know it took a long time, but as I said, life. Remember, the review section is open to all, but that doesn't mean you should attack someone for thinking differently than you. Oh, and I LOVE long reviews, so don't be shy. Short or long, give me your thoughts and expectations, haha**

 **So about the number of chapters, I really don't know. I have always been terrible at guessing those, so I can only tell you it will be shorter than The boss's Daughter** **About Jace being at the door, yeah it was rather obvious to me. It was long due that they had this conversation and I do hope that you appreciate how they both did it.** **About the miscarriage, it will come back you know me, I won't go wasting your time about something that will have no incidence later in the story.** **I am still curious about what was your favourite part, nonetheless. Mine was Clary's and Jace's first conversation, heart to heart.**

💚 **Now, I would like to welcome liela-k amongst the faithful reviewers. I know I usually do it privately, but we all know how little time I have now, haha. But still, congrats for reading the whole first story on barely a week, and jumping on board with the second one. I hope to not disappoint.**

 **Anyway, Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚


	6. 5: Millésime

**My dear little broccolis** 💚💚💚

💚 **So here comes a new chapter, and it is smaller than usual, but it is here. I'm sure you will like it, though it is a bit different.**

💚 **And guess what? We reached the 10K readings for this story! How exciting**

💚 **Some people asked about the length of this story, and I cannot tell you. I know it will be shorter than the others, but I am terrible at giving real length, so … SURPRISE, haha**

💚 **Also, could you guys do me a favour? So many of you probably know that I am writing my own book. But guess what, it is available now on Amazon, both ebook and paperback. It would mean the world to me if you checked that out, and left a review there as well about the book, because you know I like reviews, haha.**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚

 **.**

 **Chapter 5** **: Millésime (3,4K)**

 **Valentine's PoV**

When Valentine woke up that morning, it was with a welcomed feeling of peace. As simple and little it sounded, having Clary come back just to simply see him made his heart swell with happiness. Sure, he wasn't naive enough to think that she didn't seek some sort of comfort, or security into coming back in the familiar home, but he didn't feel like pushing his daughter in telling I'm what was bothering her.

It was obviously something that had to do with Jace. And Jace being himself never said what could have been upsetting her so much that he knew even before her that she would come and visit her father for the night.

This was something that, contrarily to Jace, Valentine was having some trouble to find a balance in. Jace never talked about Clary, unless it was necessary like he did to warn his mentor of the redhead's unknown wishes to see her father for the night; so he kept his relationship with her private. And though Valentine certainly didn't want to hear about the gruesome details of their affair, he still wanted to know about them. He wanted to make sure that Clary was happy with Jace, and not settling like she tried to do with Sebastian.

He never doubted that Clary had feelings stronger for Jace than she did for Sebastian, but something Maryse had told him kept haunting the troubled father. What if Clary had unconsciously settled for Jace because she knew he would approve of him? It was a secret to no one that Jace had a special place in his heart, and Clary knew it.

With a small shake of his head to clear his mind, Valentine got up, and after taking a shower went to the dining room to read the newspaper whilst waiting for breakfast. What he did not expect, was to find Jace already there, already reading the news whilst sipping on tea.

When Jace had warned Valentine that Clary would want to spend the night at the mansion, he never mentioned anything about dropping by himself, and though there was no proof that Jace had spent the night, Valentine could put his hand to the test that he did. No matter the different clothes, and the clean shaven face, Valentine was sure that Jace had slept with Clary.

Still, he hid his surprise by making a joke as he poured himself some coffee, "You're not even married yet that you can't stay away from her even for one night."

Though Jace didn't retort anything to that, Valentine still saw the small smirk on his lips as he divided the newspapers, giving him the business and politics sections, probably the ones that he had already read.

Tessa got to the dining room to ask Valentine what he wanted to eat, all the whilst looking warily at Jace. This was one thing Valentine was sure of, Tessa would not be happy when Jace would move in. He made her uneasy even more than _he_ himself made her.

This was something that had been playing against Jace, and that Valentine was sure that Jace was not planning on changing. He was too stern and too cold for his own good. So much so, that he inspired fear to people who didn't know him, instead of trust.

As he started reading about the latest news, Valentine made small talks with Jace, with this thing that was on everyone's mind at the moment,

"I heard I was going to see you in a church in a near future."

"You will. Not that I really have a choice in the matter."

"You could always say no."

Though he did not say a word to that, Jace knowingly looked at Valentine before resuming his reading. The two of them were perfectly aware that, though Clary was reasonable and would probably settle for something else, none of them had the heart or the will to tell her no.

He let his eyes skim through the business's front page, slightly frustrated that, once again, Jace was keeping to a minimum any personal information. The two mobsters remained silence for a little while, both lost in their papers and what they were reading and were only interrupted when Tessa arrived with food for Valentine.

He thanked her, folding his paper and looking at Jace as he asked, "Are you not eating?"

"I'm waiting for Clary."

Valentine nodded, starting on his food until his eyes caught upon what Jace was reading. On the front page was the face of Patrick Gladstone, a young lad who had joined their ranks not long ago, and who seemed to be wanted for questioning over a shooting.

"How come I haven't heard of that?" He imperiously inquired, not liking that Jace did not open the morning with that news, to begin with.

Jace barely looked up, apparently finishing what he was reading, before folding his own paper and sliding it to Valentine as he explained, "I'd rather keep the _business_ conversations to your office, or out of this house. But, don't worry, it's already been taken care of. The media is a bit behind on the matter."

"You'd rather keep business talks outside of this house? Jace, you do realise that you are going to come and live here."

"Exactly. And out of respect for Clary, I'd rather not bring the business here if I can avoid it. Surely you can understand that."

Valentine could say nothing on that. This was exactly what he had managed to do for years and years, doing his best to hide his dark world from his daughter's pure and innocent eyes. But … he never hid it from his wife. Jocelyn had always known about who he was and what he did.

And this was a conversation that, though he knew it was necessary between the two young people, he dreaded the moment it would happen. He didn't want his daughter to look at him differently. Sure he knew his daughter had her doubts, she was far from being as ignorant as she pretended to be, but there was a difference between knowing something, and suspecting it.

Still, he never got to linger on the matter, or to ask Jace what were his plans about letting Clary know what he did since Clary popped in the dining room in her robe, all smiles for them. And though Valentine had seen his daughter smile millions of time, this was the one smile he never got to see, the one smile he knew was directed to Jace and not him, the one smile that let him know that, wether Jace had spent the night or not, Clary hadn't expected to see him at the breakfast table, and was obviously glad she did.

Clary kissed her father's cheek, before sitting next to Jace and pouring herself some coffee. As soon as she was done, Jace leaned in and kissed her, whispering something in her hear that made her eyes sparkle. And though Clary probably only saw it as a simple way to greet her, Valentine knew that Jace was conveying a message through his actions.

This was actually the first time that he was seeing the two of them in a private setting since their engagement. There had always been someone around them, or a public function to attend before. And the only other time he saw them together was when they had just gotten back from their weekend after their engagement, Clary had been surprised to see him, and acting awkward during his short visit.

But now that they were settled as a couple, and that it was known that they would be moving in with him, Jace was letting Valentine, and subtly Clary, know, that he would not change the way he treated Clary because of his presence. Though Clary probably didn't see it, Valentine knew that Jace was telling him that he was putting Clary's wellbeing and happiness before her father and his comfort.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **Valentine's PoV**

Shortly after New Year's Eve, Clary became ill with the flu, forcing her to stay in bed. For a couple of days, Valentine resisted the urge to go and visit his daughter, taking Jace's word that she was taken care; but though he trusted his second in command, he still wanted to see his daughter.

He went to see her during an afternoon when he knew Jace would be busy and found her laying in their bed, cuddling with a ginger cat, her eyes puffy and red, just like her nose. When she saw him, she frowned, sitting in the bed and closing her laptop as she exclaimed,

"Why are you here Dad!? I don't want you to get my bug."

"Did you really think I wouldn't come and see you when you're ill, sweetheart?"

She shook her head, sniffling and wiping her nose as the cat stayed faithfully on her laps. Valentine had known for a while about the existence of the cat, but this was the first time he was actually seeing the animal, despite having come several times to the apartment over the years Jace had had the feline.

The cat's blue eyes pierced right through Valentine, never blink and the black iris snakelike, and when Valentine tried to pet the animal as a friendly gesture, the cat hissed, its hair all risen and its claws out. Valentine retracted his hand and joked,

"Well, you don't need a guard dog. The cat is obviously doing a much better job."

Clary kindly smiled to the cat, gently caressing him to calm him down as she let her father know, "He just needs to get used to you. He's just started to be nice to me again. I think he could feel I was sick, and he wanted to make me feel better."

"It's just a cat, Clary."

"Animals have a sixth sense," She simply said, as if the matter was closed.

Valentine smiled at his daughter, his eyes carefully studying her sickly face. She did seem beaten down by the illness, but at least she wasn't wasting away like she usually did when she was sick. He had to say that he had been lucky enough in that department. Clary hadn't been a very sickly child whilst growing up, but every time a bug had managed to through her immune system, it had taken her down completely.

"How are you feeling, sweetheart? No bullshit."

"I'm doing better. Jace _loves_ being a nurse. He was all over my case for the past two days. I had to kick him out, he didn't want to leave me 'in my condition'. As if I were on my deathbed."

"You do look dreadful," He teased, making his daughter playfully grimace at him.

"Gee, thanks, Dad. I feel much better about myself now."

They both chuckled and Clary blew her nose once more. Her phone biped, indicating that she had a text, and she checked, before shaking her head and replying to whoever texted her.

"When I think I'm missing Izzy's birthday because of some stupid cold."

"You can still celebrate later on. You just concentrate on getting better for now."

"I know. It's just that I had plans with friends and now they all have been postponed. I'm just glad this bug came after the holiday season. Imagine me having to sit down Christmas and New Year's Eve!" She exclaimed with indignation, making her father look amused at her scorn.

"I'm sure Izzy understands why you can't be with her right now," He assured, though he knew it was useless, Clary knew that as well, she was just making small talks with him for the sake of it.

"Of course she does. None of us wants her to be sick whilst pregnant. I just had some plans with James, and now, I have to wait to get better."

Valentine held his tongue for a moment, keeping for himself his thoughts on that new person in his daughter's life. In all honesty, James seemed like a good lad, a bit utopian, just like Clary, thinking that they could actually change the world without getting their hands dirty, but a good person all in all.

Still, there was something that made him uneasy about the man. He couldn't tell if it was because he didn't know that guy well enough yet, or because he picked up Jace's obvious dislike in the man, but the feeling was still there.

Though Jace never said a bad word about James in front of Clary, or behind her back, Valentine could bet his life on the fact that Clary's fiancé did not like her latest friend. It was something subtle for everyone else, but obvious to Valentine who had learnt over the years to read behind Jace's mask. He had learned to decipher the blond's rigidness, his smallest ticks or blinks, or the way his eyes flickered to Clary.

Valentine could tell that Jace was jealous, or he would have brought the matter to Clary and let her know about his dislike of James. He was jealous and trying to keep it to himself, for Clary's sake. After all, James had never trespassed any sort of line and always remained friendly with the redhead. But most importantly, Clary had no idea of Jace's feelings on that regard.

He pondered keeping his observations for himself, and let the couple be, but he still found himself saying to his daughter,

"You do spend a lot of time with James."

"Well, of course. In addition to being my friend, he's helping me build my new charity," Clary retorted the most naturally in the world. Valentine carefully thought of his next words, not wanting to create a conflict in his daughter's couple, where there were none.

"Some would say that it's not … healthy to spend so much time with —"

"Oh Dad, _please_! Don't make me have that kind of conversation with _you_. Jace and I are great together, and he knows that James is just a friend. I don't want to talk about what we say when you're not here," She cut him off, mortified, her face now as red as her nose and eyes.

Valentine held his hands up in defeat and changed the topic. Clearly, Clary knew where he had been trying to go, and judged that the conversation was futile.

"Father Crowley came by the house yesterday morning," He let her know, making her grimace as he obviously reminded her of something she had forgotten. "I told him that you were sick. He did ask for your address, but settled on you paying him a visit when you will get better."

"We were supposed to go over my schedule to see when we could do couple counselling over the next few months."

"Jace is going to do counselling?" Valentine asked with surprise, a smirk plastered on his lips. It always amazed him how compliant Jace could get in order to please Clary.

Clary glared at her father, pinning her lips and squinting her eyes, as she declared, "Don't mock. Father Crowley said it was important for us to be prepare, in order to not fail this marriage."

Valentine nodded, mostly to appease his daughter, not because he agreed with her words. He had always found the priest as a bit too preachy for his liking. He had met the man several times in his life since Clary was so keen into following a God that she had never met and who imposed her a faith that he did not agree with. In truth, more than once he had argued with Hodge for helping her get in that state of mind.

Of course, Clary always defended her holy man, saying that it was in his job description to be preachy and that Father Crowley was there to make sure her soul remained intact. More than once, she had tried to convert her father and obviously failed. And this was one thing he was actually eager to see, Clary trying to convert Jace in her way of thinking about life, and _the afterlife_.

"But of course, you'll be here to help us stay strong, right?" Clary asked with a gentle smile. Valentine smiled back, perfectly aware that she was assuring him through her words that no matter what, she would still consider him as a part of her life. Even though Father Crowley would feed her head with notions of heaven and Hell, even though she would get married to Jace, she would still hold him high in her heart.

And still, he was not sure what he thought of that. There was still this little squirm inside of him, making him feel uneasy when he thought if the future Clary wanted. This moment was as good as any to talk about it,

"Sweetheart, … you do know that you don't _have_ to move in with me when you get married, right?"

"What do you mean?"

"I know I told you on several occasions that I didn't want to see you leave, but that doesn't mean that you _have_ to stay with me. Life happens, and every bird leaves its nest. I would understand you wanting your own little place with Jace and your family."

Clary fondly smiled to her father, making him feel for a moment that _he_ was the child and she was the parent. She opened her mouth to say something but sneezed loudly. So after blowing her nose for the umpteenth time, she let him know,

"I know that I don't have to stay with you, Dad. I just _want_ to. I want my children to grow up where I grew up, and I want them to be close to their grandparents, even more than I was to mine. And … I'm obviously not going to have that with Jace's parents, so you're the one who _has_ to live with us."

Valentine fondly smiled to his daughter, a weight being lifted from his daughter. Ever since she had told him that she and Jace would come live with him, he had felt as if he had imposed that to her by the many times he had told her he would rather have her stay by his sides. But having her explain her reasons, made all his worry and guilt disappear.

Still, this was not the topic on which he bounced back, "I saw that Celine and Michael Wayland were on the guest list."

"Well …" She seemed hesitant to go further, before inhaling deeply, making her cough a bit, "Jace isn't really fond with the idea of reconnecting with his parents, but he understands why I want them at our wedding. It's just … complicated."

Valentine nodded, understand what his daughter was not saying. She didn't want to talk about Jace and his relationship with his family when he wasn't there. Valentine doubted that Jace would ever form a new relationship with his parents, he was a man who held the grudge, and he had buried them long ago. But then again, he had seen Jace do things for Clary that he had never thought the young man would ever even consider.

Before they could talk any further about anything, Jace entered the room, showing no surprise in finding Valentine sitting by the redhead's sickbed, and going straight to his fiancée to kiss her forehead.

"You're going to catch my bug," Clary complained, though her grievance was completely dismissed by Jace who simply inquired,

"How are you feeling, babe?"

"Better. Dad gave me the best medication ever." Jace quirked an eyebrow up, briefly glancing at his mentor before refocussing his attention on Clary who mischievously explained, "A father's smile."

"I better go. I'll see you tomorrow morning, Jace," Valentine announced.

Jace nodded, his eyes quickly going back to Valentine to let him know that there were things he would like to discuss, and Valentine left the two lovebirds on their own, glad to have had that little heart to heart conversation with his daughter.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚 **Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed** 💚

 **.**

💚 **So, a new chapter, I know it took a long time but to be fair, my life was a complete mess for the last few months. Haha. Remember, the review section is open to all, but that doesn't mean you should attack someone for thinking differently than you. Oh, and I LOVE long reviews, so don't be shy. Short or long, give me your thoughts and expectations, haha**

 **~ So about the conversation between Clary and Jace, remember that Jace said on more than one occasion that he knew that Clary knew, she just pretended otherwise. So it was just them being honest about it. It was not going to be a deal breaker for sure.**

 **~ About Jace being sweet, well … that's what we saw in the first part. I am not rewriting the character, Jace is sweet when it comes to Clary. He just seems colder now, because well, we're not in his mind, haha**

 **~ And I just want to give a shoutout to one of you who saw how 'confessional-like' the heart to heart conversation was, and how it was washing away their old life and accepting who they were and how they were true to one another now!**

 **💚I am still curious about what was your favourite part, nonetheless.**

 **Anyway, Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚


	7. 6: Tu Trouveras

**My dear little broccolis** 💚💚💚

 **‼️DO NOT GO FURTHER WITHOUT READING THE NOTE‼️**

💚 **So first of all, to that lovely and charming guest who thinks that they should dictate my life and how I should update, I strongly advise that you stop reading this story. As a reminder, I do this for free, out of my free time and I'm not going to go faster just because you are impatient. Maybe you have all the time in the world to read this story, or maybe you're just impatient to read the rest of the story. Either way, it is not okay to cuss at me and judge what I do, when I do it. I am working on my own books, as well as doing a full-time job. And I have that little something that is called life. So if you think this isn't going fast enough for you, wait until the story is complete, or stop, I won't mind, but please, stop sending messages judging that I should be writing instead of enjoying my life as I want to. I don't think you go swearing when a show makes you wait a year for the next season, or a movie makes you wait for two for the sequel, or a published author makes you wait years for another book. You shouldn't treat me any different just because I do it for free.**

💚 **On another note, this update took quite a while for two reasons. The first one, like the ones following me on Instagram know, I am working on Fighting Hearts. It will be out by next month, but it took time. The second reason. We are getting toward religious matters, and it is always a sensitive topic. I do not judge anyone, religious or not, but I have characters in this story who have particular opinions on a certain religion, and … well, I am telling it right now, don't get aggressive in the comments. Any offensive comment I am going to see attacking someone's religion or belief concerning this chapter will be automatically removed. This is a place of exchange and I don't want the negativity of the internet to come here! I am quite serious about that matter!**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚

 **.**

 **Chapter 6: Tu Trouveras (6,0K)**

 **Clary's PoV**

A couple of weeks after her illness, Clary visited Father Crowley with Jace, so they could talk about their upcoming marriage. And though Jace never said anything about coming to see the priest, Clary could tell that he was only doing it to humour her. She couldn't really tell what gave it away, because Jace acted the same way he always acted when he had to socialise with other people, but there was something about him that told her that he would have rather be anywhere than in the Church at that moment.

For half an hour, Father Crowley spoke of how important it was in a couple to communicate and do not have any sort of secret to one's partner, and though she didn't say anything, Clary knew that the holy man was referring to Jace's unconventional life. Sure, Jace and she had that talk where he bore it all raw to her, and in fact, they actually talked about it from time to time. Nothing really gruesome, but still much more than she ever did with her father.

And still, she never confessed to Father Crowley that she knew for a fact what Jace did. Probably because she didn't want the priest to judge her husband to be even more than he already was. The good father had never approved of Clary's choice toward Jace, and he never tried to hide it. The only time he actually tried to push her toward him was when she lost their baby, telling her that this was something she should have gone through with Jace because he was just as implicated as her in that life that had been denied to her.

After insisting once again on the importance of transparency in a couple, Father Crowley lightly said that this was a topic that they would go further in details in another session, which earned a reaction from Jace. Ever since they had set foot in the office, Clary had seen Jace being his normal controlled self, and she wasn't really bothered by it, she was used with being the only one who got to see Jace's special and sweet side. She was used to him going to the motions and waiting for them to be alone to show any sort of emotions or feelings.

But this time, he rose a doubtful eyebrow at the holy man, and asked for explanations, "Excuse me?"

Father Crowley looked at him, not understanding Jace's surprise, and Clary witness the priest she had known all her life turn to red in a matter of seconds as Jace informed him, "I do not intend on coming to more of these. I have better things to do."

"Getting ready for a lifetime is not something you do in just an hour, Mr Wayland," Father Crowley retorted, his tone full of judgement.

Clary grimaced, not really eager to have an argument starting between her fiancé and her priest. In all honesty, she had been expecting for the two of them to clash, but she had had the sweet hope that it would be a bit longer before it would start.

Still, Jace did not seem to mind as he retorted with a cheeky tone full of sarcasm, "I agree. Building a lifetime is something of every day that I fully intend to work on with _my wife_ and no one else."

Clary smiled to him, putting her hand in his before turning to the priest with a little of a scowl in her eyes. She knew that it was in his job description to be judgmental and preachy, but that didn't mean that he had to push her fiancé's buttons. Which was why she said,

"Jace is a busy person, and I understand that. There is no issue for me with the fact that he can't come to all the sessions."

Father Crowley nodded, understanding the subtle message that Clary was reminding him once again. Through and through, she had told the good father that she would stand by her man, no matter what, and she had just proved to the priest that she fully intended to keep her words on that. And though she did not glance in Jace's direction, she still knew that he understood that, though she understood that he wouldn't come to all the sessions, she still hoped he would clear his schedule from time to time to come once in a while

Father Crowley took it as his cue to back off and talked about the reason they were there. He briefly talked about the sanctity of marriage and the importance of fidelity, though Clary was left surprised that he didn't develop more on the matter. then, he talked of what was expected of her as a wife, but once again, Clary thought that he could linger longer on the matter, and it made her wonder if, maybe the priest was trying to put everything he had wanted to say over his sessions into one, to be sure Jace would hear it from him.

But then, he started going over what would be expected of Jace, and Clary understood why he went so quickly over the other topics. For a good hour, the priest talked about the importance of companionship and how the husband should make sure he could provide for his family before committing to it. But most importantly, Father Crowley explained how Jace should be a leader for his future family. An example for his children to follow, as well as a protector to his wife and kids.

And though he never said it clearly, it was clearly implied that he didn't think Jace qualified on those. Still, it didn't seem to faze Jace the least in the world. He was simply listening to the priest, a small mocking smirk on his lips.

"What do you have to say about that, Mister Wayland? Do you think it is too much to expect from the head of the family?"

Jace rose an eyebrow as if daring the religious man to push him further, but after swiftly glancing at his fiancé, he simply said, "If I am here today, it is only out of respect for Clary. And it is for that same reason that I will keep my thoughts to myself on what you said."

"Very well. Out of respect for Clary as well, I will not tell her that she shouldn't marry you."

" _Father_!" Clary exclaimed.

They had already been a couple of times through and each time she had stood on her position, letting her spiritual guide know that, though she understood his concern, she knew that Jace had her best interests at heart. She trusted Jace fully and wholeheartedly to take care of her and their family.

"I don't think you have been thinking this through enough, you are safe now, but what will happen when you will have children as well? They would be in unnecessary danger."

She swallowed hard, doing her best not to think of her miscarriage. She knew very well that Father Crowley hadn't mentioned children in order to make her feel bad or to bring back sad memories, but it still did. So she briefly glanced at her fiancé, hoping that Jace hadn't caught her sudden change of mood, but his eyes were solely on the priest, cold despite his unfazed attitude.

"Are you insinuating that I wouldn't be able to protect my own kids?" He asked though Clary could hear the dormant threat in his voice.

It was, in fact, the first time that she was seeing emotions out of Jace outside of their couple, and she wondered if it was because Father Crowley was getting on his nerves, or if it was because the topic of children had always been close to his heart. After all, she knew very well that Jace would always do his best to prevent his kids from living what he had to go through, just like her father did for her. Insinuating that he wouldn't be able to do so was more than wounding his ego as a man, it was as well as a future father.

"It's exactly what I'm saying," Father Crowley said, without an ounce of guilt for calling someone a bad parent before they even had the chance to prove otherwise. Jace smirked, a sadistic gleam sparkling his honey eyes as he retorted,

"I know that my kids will always be much safer around me than in this … _institution_. Especially if they're boys."

" _Jace_!"

She couldn't believe that he stood so low. Never he had said anything about her faith or the Church, no matter how much he read the news. She wasn't stupid and she wasn't going to pretend that she didn't know the many horrors that some men committed in sacred places, but she had always differentiated those men from her religion. They didn't represent all the Christians in the world, just like some terrorists didn't represent all the Muslims in the world. On the contrary.

Jace looked at her, and before he even said the words, she knew that he was sorry. And though he apologised, he knew he didn't apologise for his words, but more for the fact that he had hurt her by going after someone she cared for.

Then, he took her hand in his, and he turned to Father Crowley to let him know,

"Let's be honest here. It is obvious that you think very little of me, and that Clary can do so much better. But I don't care about your opinion. I don't care what you think of me, and I certainly don't care about your approval. All I care about is Clary.

I only came because she asked me to. She's the reason I am here, listening to you preaching about the importance of marriage and children when you, yourself, have never even gone close to that. But know that I care about what you're saying just as much as the fly that my cat ate this morning.

"So do your pitch, and let's get on with this so I can go back to my life."

Clary squeezed his hand, appreciating his efforts. Sure, it didn't end up as she would have hoped, but it could have been worst. It could have ended up with Jace storming out of the church. At least now, she wouldn't feel so torn anymore.

She looked at her priest, hoping that he would take the olive branch Jace was giving him instead of staying on his positions. She wanted to officiate her wedding in this church, with that man who had been her guide all those years, but she felt that if Father Crowley pushed Jace too far, no matter how much he loved her, he would put his veto on seeing the man on their wedding day.

For a long minute, the priest did not say a word, his eyes hard on Jace who did not flinch or even blink. But just as Clary was considering intervening in their testosterone match, Father Crowley took a long breath and held his hand to Jace,

"If you have somewhere else to be, you should go then. Clary and I can get that wedding ready together. We both know anyway that grooms have very little say in what is to happen for the big day."

Jace looked at the hand offered to him, but did not do a thing to shake it. So Clary squeezed his hand again and told him, "Just go, Jace. I'll let you know tonight what has been said."

He looked at her, and when he saw in her eyes that she genuinely didn't care if he left, not without kissing her forehead with love. As soon as they were alone in the office, Clary whipped her head to the priest and accused,

"Aren't you supposed to make sure that we stay together until death do us part?"

"He loves you," Father Crowley said with a condescending tone. "That's the one thing I can't take away from him."

"I know that he loves me. I've been telling you for weeks now that he loves me."

"You have. But now, I saw it first hand. He loves you as much as your father loves you, if not even more."

Clary scrunched her nose, not liking hearing comparison between her father and Jace on that level. But she didn't linger on that, more concerned to know what made Father Crowley suddenly so sure that Jace loved her. Their exchanged had been anything but friendly, and Jace had been his cold and usual self, despite the fact that the priest had had the luck to get a few words out of him.

"Have you talked about his life with him?" He inquired, making her feel like she was suddenly in the confessional with her soul of the scale, ready to be judged.

"We did. Jace isn't one to beat around the bush."

"Good. This is something you should be honest about from the start," The priest approve, and for a brief second, Clary felt that maybe it wasn't such a bad day after all. Of course, that was until he added,

"Have you told him about … your miscarriage?"

She looked down in shame because she knew that she should have done so a long time ago, Father Crowley and Kaelie have been pushing her to do so, but she never had the bravery to do it.

"Why should I? It's in the past, now. Me telling him about it won't change a thing. I don't want him to feel bad for something he can literally do nothing about."

Why should he feel bad? It's not his fault if you lost the baby, is it?" Father Crowley asked, immediate concern colouring his voice, and Clary hurried herself to reassure him,

"No, of course not. But … Jace is like that. He will feel bad for not being there because we were broken up at the time. And even though it's my fault that we weren't together anymore, Jace will find a way to blame himself. This is how much he loves me, Father. He takes everything on his shoulders, no matter how heavy the burden can be, just so he can make sure that I float through life."

"But is it healthy, Clary?"

"It's not much a matter of healthy or not. It's Jace. That's how he is with the people he cares for. He does it for his best friend, he does it with Kaelie, he even does it with my father. And I don't think he actually realises it. So all I can do is stay by his side and try to make the load a bit less heavy for him."

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **Clary's PoV**

A couple of weeks after that disastrous meeting between Father Crowley and Jace, Clary went to her weekly shooting lessons with Jordan. And though she hated to admit it, she actually liked those lessons. Much better than the ones of self-defence. At least, she didn't end up on the floor each and every single time.

She had always been grateful for her father to not go as crazy and overboard as he usually did, and not hire professional to teach her how to defend herself with or without a weapon. He had always believed that street smart was more important and educational than book smart.

And she liked Jordan, in general. He never really treated her like a fragile little princess, but just like a human, not hesitating on making fun of her when she would make a fool out of herself, attempting to knock him down, and simply being raw with her, within the limits of professionalism.

In fact, Jordan was the only one out of Jace's friends who tried to make her feel good about her involvement with the man. She knew that Kaelie didn't hate her, but no matter the relationship between the two of them, Kaelie would always be first and foremost Jace's friend. And though Magnus never said a word against her, she still felt awkward around him. She never managed to break that barrier that would take them to the next level.

Jordan, on the other hand, had already invited Jace and her several times to his place, principally because Jace was the Godfather of his son, Brian. Brian loved Clary. In fact, he always played with her much more than he played with Jace, which always made Jordan joke, saying that his son already had common sense and knew who to trust and who to mistrust.

As Jordan and she walked to their usual stand, Clary caught a glimpse of the familiar golden hair of her fiancé, talking to a brunette a few stands away from Jordan and her. Jace's eyes immediately fell on her when her gaze lasted more than a second, and he fondly smiled, before walking the girl out.

"Who is she?" She asked Jordan, trying to be nonchalant about it, though her eyes dissected everything there was to see about this girl.

She was rather tall, probably taller than Izzy, with short black hair that stopped by her neck and that she had styled in a pixie way. If Clary had to guess, she would have said that she was of mixed ascendant, Asian and Caucasian, her olive skin naturally glossy and glowing whilst her dark eyes beamed as Jace said something to her.

"It's just Aline," Jordan said, shrugging and oblivious of Clary's change of mood.

He gave her a gun and waited for her to put her headphones in before setting the target in place, not giving her any possibility to grill him about this girl she had never heard of before. She started shooting, surprising herself when she easily pictured that Aline girl instead of the target, and when she reached to reload her gun, a strong hand prevented her from doing so, kissing her neck by the same occasion.

She smiled to herself, seeing Jordan disappear with a single look from Jace, and she let herself fall into Jace's embrace as he removed her headphone and kept on kissing her neck,

"Have I ever told you that you're hot when you shoot?" He languorously said, his hands snaking their way to her breasts, after having made sure that she would put the gun down.

She smiled once again, closing her eyes and appreciating those nice sensations Jace was bringing to her. But before she could try to stop herself, she killed the nice mood Jace had set them on by asking,

"Who was that girl?"

"Just Aline," He let her know, not stopping his kisses the least in the world. Still, when he felt that she wasn't receptive he paused just enough to add further explanations all the while keeping her in his arms,

"She's just a girl I'm helping out."

A wave of shame and embarrassment flushed through Clary as she remembered how she had felt jealous of Kaelie when she had appeared in Jace's life and that she knew nothing about the girl. Jace was just helping girls get out of bad situations that she would never be able to relate to, and she was feeling jealous and insecure for no apparent reason.

She shook off the ugly feeling that had risen within her, and leaned into Jace's arms, welcoming his embarrassing and his unending kisses. She let him set the pace, though her eyes never closed, too worried that someone might come in and catch them in the middle of a compromising position. _What if her father decided to come at that right moment_?

"Relax, babe. Do you really think I'd risk anyone seeing you the way I'm about to see you?" He coaxed into her ear, before turning her and making her sit on the stand.

She sheepishly smiled, aware that his jealous side would always do its best to keep her naked self to himself, and she pulled him by his shirt so she could kiss him.

If he was surprised by her move, he didn't let it show, deepening their kiss and turning it into something passionate and tumultuous. He actually seemed in a hurry, which was something really rare from him. She had always known Jace to be collected and in control, even in bed.

But this time, he seemed wilder than usual, and when he broke their kiss and pecked his way to her earlobe, she understood why "I think you should come more often when I'm here. Seeing you shoot is definitely a turn on."

"Maybe you shouldn't mess with me, then. Maybe I'm not so much of a good girl, after all …" She teased, earning a playful chuckle from Jace.

He didn't give her a chance to find anything else witty to add, attacking her lips and winding up the aim of her skirt, making her glad that she had the good idea in the morning to wear that piece of clothing.

Quickly, his fingers found their way to her sweet spot, making her moan of pleasure when he pinched it a little. She felt more than heard him growl in response to her wetness before he started playing music inside of her. Without any hesitation, she reached down, relieving him from his trousers and taking out his friendly monster, so she herself could play with it.

For a moment, they simply pleasured each other, taking delight in building the other up until it subtly became a game of who would give in first. Though none of them had said a word, given the fact that they had been kissing all along, Clary could tell that what had started as foreplay had quickly turned into a teasing game. And so she used the best weapon she had in her position.

In a jiffy, she scooched off the stand and knelt before Jace to take him in her mouth without giving him the possibility to try and stop her. She rarely actually gave him blowjobs, mostly because Jace was more a giver than a receiver. But also because he was so … _well developed_ as he would put it. Though she enjoyed giving her man pleasure, Clary had to admit that the pleasure she could feel of doing so was tainted by the discomfort that position gave to her mouth and her throat.

As soon as the monster cock was in her mouth, Jace's hand was in Clary's hair as he threw his head back and swore between his gritted teeth, " _Damn it_ , Clary."

She inwardly smirked, and gave her best to the task, appreciating that she had managed to catch him off guard. She had noticed that, though Jace had no problem having a foul mouth with other people, he never swore in her presence, except the very rare times he let his emotions get the better of him.

She did her best to fit as much as possible in her mouth, using her hands on the rest of Jace's inconsiderable length, whilst Jace gently took control of the rhythm he wanted to have. She could tell he was fighting to not simply let go, his grunts and hisses proofs enough of his struggle, but she didn't want to see the tamed Jace. She wanted to see the wild Jace that would make her see stars several times in very few minutes.

And so, the very best she could, she swirled her tongue around the tip of his cock, gagging a little, but not really caring about it. Giving the monster he was, any girl would gag on him. And it gave her exactly what she wanted. For a microsecond, it seemed that Jace hesitated on what he would do before he ripped her away from him and sat her back up on the stand, growling in her hair as he brutally plunged in her,

"I am going to rip you apart."

She smiled of delight, hoping he would make good on his promise, and as soon as he started rocking her world, earring yelps from her at each thrust, she planted her nails in his back. She could feel him hitting her G-spot each and every time, and just as she was about to orgasm, he retrieved himself and turned her around.

"Who would have thought a sweet little girl like you could be so naughty?" He said, inserting his monstrous member with force and passion. She arched herself, relishing in Jace pulling her hair so her back could touch his chest.

He kept his thrusts hard and steady, and when his other hand came to pick her nipple, she couldn't help but let out, " _God, Jace!"_

It seemed to please him because he held her hair tighter in his hand, redoubling efforts in his in-and-out movements as he told her, "Come on, babe. Come with me. Scream my name as you come with me."

Which she did, screaming his name at the top of her lungs as he emptied his load inside of her and taking her to cloud nine, with his hand around her throat.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **Clary's PoV**

After that very interesting afternoon during which Clary burned a lot of calories all the while setting Jace's wild side on fire, she went back a couple of times when she knew that her fiancé would be there. Of course, Jordan picked up on that and gave them the knowing eyes each time he left them alone, but all Clary could care about was that she had found a place where Jace wouldn't hesitate on being vocal with her after the wedding.

This was something that she was concerned about that and that she had shared with Izzy on more than one occasion. _What would happen to their sexual relationship when they would move in with her father_? Sure, Jace had said that he had no intention of selling his place and that he wanted to keep it, but it felt weird to Clary to see it as their place to go to have sex. It would feel too much like going to the hotel.

She didn't think that Jace would treat her any differently, because Jace had always made a point on treating her exactly the same whether Valentine or not was with them. If anything, he would just keep his emotions in check longer, until they would be alone, and in her room. But she knew that moving in with her father meant that they wouldn't have any more spontaneous sex like the one they had just the night before on the couch.

But now that she had found this place, she was more than happy to see that she would still get to see the more local side of Jace.

Still, that was not yet a problem for another four months. At the present moment, she was holding yet another charity event, fundraising for the education of young girls throughout the world this time.

James was about to leave for six months to help build a school abroad, and she had decided that, even though she couldn't go because it would make her postpone her wedding, she could still help. She had already planned to go and visit James anyway, as soon as she would convince Jace to leave work for a whole week so they could help the less fortunate.

Still, even though the funds that they received had exceeded their expectations, Clary wasn't really happy with the evening she was having.

Jace had come with _Aline_.

She couldn't tell why, but she didn't like the girl, even though she had never met her. It wasn't like with Kaelie when it had only been her insecurities talking, this time it was her guts screaming at her not to trust the girl.

Aline was _always_ around Jace and even texted him in the middle of the night, despite the fact that she knew that he was engaged. And in fact, Clary had asked around, as if nothing, and she was sure of one thing, aline was not an unfortunate girl like Kaelie had been. Neither Kaelie or Maryse had ever heard of her.

In fact, the couple of times Clary had gone to the shooting stand when Jace was there, Aline had been there, talking to her man as if Clary didn't exist. And now that it was a charity event for _her_ , Clary couldn't help but resent Jace a little for bringing the girl.

She liked to think that she didn't mind Jace helping her out, but if he could do it on his own time, and not when she was trying to raise money to help people with real issues, she would have liked that better. Especially since she barely had the opportunity to spend time with her fiancé.

Though she had to admit, the thing that bothered her the most was the fact that she saw Jace smiling at the girl at some point. Sure it wasn't _her_ smile, but still, she had never seen Jace break out of his cold mask outside of their couple, and now, he was spending all of his time with that girl that he never even bothered presenting to her.

It was with that foul mood that she got back home with Jace. For a moment, she considered keeping it to herself and rationalising it later on. After all, she knew that Jace was hot and charismatic, but she shouldn't care because she also knew that he loved her.

But she couldn't shake that morbid image that had formed in her head of Aline all over her man. Which was why, as she was getting ready to bed, she asked her fiancé,

"How come _A_ line is always around you?"

Jace looked at her as if it was the first time he was seeing her before walking to her and letting her know, "She's in the business."

Then he kissed her, caressing her cheek with his thumb and easing the frown off her face. Or at least attempting to do so.

"It's just … I … I'm just not comfortable with her around."

It was Jace's turn to frown with concern, a glimpse of protectiveness gleaming in his eyes, though Clary could tell it was in her favour. "Why? Has she said something to you?"

"No. Not at all. It's just … the way she looks at you. I think she's into you."

Jace's lips turned into a condescending smile as he shook his head and reassured her, kissing her forehead, "Don't be ridiculous."

She waited for a little, hoping that Jace would understand her concern and get rid of that annoying girl, but when it seemed that the matter was closed to Jace and that he was already walking to the bed as if nothing, she inquired,

"Are you going to get rid of her?"

"No. Why should I do that?" He retorted, surprised by her request. She shrugged, not expecting to have to explain what she felt was logical,

"If the roles were reversed, wouldn't you want me to get rid of they guy bothering you?

Jace stopped anything he was doing to longly stare at Clary, making her feel that whatever he was about to say, was something that would apply to both him and her, no matter the situation.

"I trust _you_ , Clary. My feelings about another person around you are not relevant. The only thing I care about is you, your feelings for me, and my feelings for you. Nothing else, and _especially_ no one else. I love you, and that's it."

"I love you too … But I don't trust her."

Jace walked back the distance between them, cupping her face before saying with assurance, "I'm not asking you to. Just trust _me_."

.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.

 **Clary's PoV**

The Monday following her confrontation with Jace, Clary was driving in the streets of New York thinking back of that night. Though they had both stayed on their position, Clary had to admit that Jace was right. Aline could try to do whatever she wanted, she trusted Jace to rebuff any attempt she could try on him. She knew that he loved her, and that should be sufficient.

Moreover, it resulted in a night of sweet lovemaking that made her smile just thinking about it. Jace had shown her again and again how much he loved her, and how much she was the only one he cared about.

She was on her way to meet Maryse that wanted to present her to a seamstress that would be able to do last minute touch up on her dress, or Izzy's (given the fact that Izzy would be fresh out of pregnancy for her wedding) when she was flashed by red and blue lights, making her pull over.

Her heart beat faster than a drum, wondering what she had done wrong to be pulled over by the police. She always made sure to abide by the law when driving, going as far as to leave her phone in her bag, so she wouldn't be tempted.

"Licence and registration," The officer demanded. She quickly gave the papers to the man, seeing from the corner of her eyes that Lauren was a few feet away, observing the scene with intensity.

"Did I do something wrong, Officer?" She asked, not sure if maybe she hadn't seen a stop sign or a red light.

"I'm going to ask you to come to the station with me," He simply said, making her pale.

"Am I under arrest?"

"No. Take it as … a courtesy."

She nodded, not sure of how she could refuse and she got out of the car. In the blink of an eye, Lauren was by her side, but before she could say anything, Clary gave her the keys of her little red car and asked her,

"Could you please bring my car back to my place, Lauren? I'll cab it home."

The girl seemed about to argue, and Clary cut her out again, "You can tell on me if you want. I am just going to nicely follow this officer f the law."

Then she went in the car, glad that she didn't have the same to have to go in a regular police car. This one was a banalised car. The ride was rather fast, despite the deafening silence during which Clary still tried to understand what the police wanted with her.

Once at the station, the officer walked her to a room with a two-sided mirror. And on the other room, oblivious of her presence, she saw Jace, making her blood leave her face.

.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚 **Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed** 💚

 **.**

💚 **So, I know, it has been long, but as I said up there, it has been hectic. I won't promise a fast update, but it will be a long one. Don't forget to show your love, and to spread the love as well. Do recommend this story to anyone you think might be interested.**

💚 **And we have yet another character introduced. I almost named her something else, because you guys have a preconceived idea of Aline, but I'm hoping you will manage to go past that.**

💚 **And what's up with Jace?**

 **Anyway, Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚


	8. 7: Je Te Promets

**My dear little broccolis** 💚💚💚

💚 **So, for those who think that I am playing with clichés concerning Christianity, you clearly did not pay attention to Clary's thoughts about Father Crowley in this story. She said several times that he was anything but that cliché that we see in movies, and she was surprised by his approach of the conversation with Jace. Remember that Father Crowley does not approve of Jace, and he was definitely trying to break them up. Yes, I said it. So of course, he went old school and 'archaic'. And for the record, I know what I was talking about, my Mom was raised by nuns. I usually try to have some knowledge of what I write about.**

💚 **On another note, I hesitated for the longest time between Clary's and Jace's point-of-view for this chapter, because … angst issues. But had I gone for Jace, you would have once again crusaded against Clary, so I decided to show her side on this chapter, you have a bit less angst then, haha**

💚 **Also, guess who's going to publish her second book in a few days?** 😎 ️😇

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚

 **.**

 **Chapter 7** **: Je Te Promets (5,6K)**

 **💚In case you did not notice, every chapter title is a song title that I strongly advise you listen to 😉**

 **Clary's PoV**

For a long moment, clary couldn't do anything but stare at her fiancé on the other side of that one-sided mirror, her heart beating faster and faster as she was trying to keep her face unreadable. Whatever Jace might have done to end up in such a place, she didn't want the police to use her reactions to put him deeper into the whole.

She waited to see if the officer would let her know under which charges Jace had been brought in, but when he remained silent, obviously waiting for her to say or do something, she asked,

"Why is my fiancé here? Is he under arrest?"

The police officer slightly squinted his eyes at her, as if judging her intelligence before he said with a patronising tone, "I think you know very well why he is here."

Finally, she tore her gaze away from the one-way mirror to look at the officer in the eyes, because she really had no idea of what Jace could have officially done to have been brought to the station.

He condescendingly smirked at her, making her feel like a child as he said, "Come on, Miss Morgenstern. Don't go and pretend you don't know what your father and future husband do in the dark of the night. We both know that you are not as clueless as you pretend to be."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, officer," She bravely lied, hoping against all odds that this lie wouldn't come back and haunt her later in her life.

But as she did so, without even hesitating for a second, she realised with horror that she would do it all over again in a court of law. She wouldn't hesitate to lie in court if that meant getting Jace out of a bad situation.

The police officer seemed about to retort something, probably ready to push the issue and call her on her lie, when she cut him off, already thinking of calling Kaelie so she could help her out.

"What are the charges against him?"

"We're not sure yet."

Clary stopped her jaw from dropping, definitely set on calling Kaelie. sure, she already had a lawyer that she could call, but he was there to help with her charity works, and she didn't want to mix the two. And she was sure that Kaelie had always known about Jace and her father, so she wouldn't really have to explain the background of the situation to her. But then again, maybe Jace had already called her.

"Who did he call?"

"Oh, Miss Morgenstern … You shouldn't believe everything you see in movies. It is written nowhere that you are _entitled_ to a phone call when you are arrested."

Clary looked back at the tainted glass, watching Jace who was still sitting in the same position, with the same nonchalant smirk on his face. In all honesty, it was a bit frightening to her how well Jace fitted in this scenario. It seemed too natural, too used to it, and she did not like it for one bit.

And of course, just as she was disliking how natural Jace looked sitting in the interrogation room of a police station, the officer crept behind her, and whispered dark words into her ear,

"Can you imagine, though? _This_ is the man you are going to marry. _This_ is the life he is going to put on you. You will always be in and out of jail, because your husband keeps on playing with the law, making his own and stepping over the line. What kind of life is that? What kind of example are you setting up for your kids?"

She remained silent, though the words affected her more than she cared to admit. How was she going to survive if Jace ever was arrested on solid grounds? She had always thought she could live with Jace's criminal side, because of the way he treated her in that regard. He had always respected her, doing his best to keep his professional life separate from their personal life. Even with her father, she could tell that Jace had put boundaries because she never saw them talk about anything else but personal issues, such as the wedding.

But she never really thought of the consequences outside of their bubble. What if Jace got arrested and sent to jail? Or worse, what if Jace got killed? How was she going to survive that? Did her mother have the same questions when she agreed to marry her father? What were the magic words that soothed her down?

"The officer that brought me here said that I wasn't under arrest," She placidly said, happy to hear that her voice was not betraying her tumultuous emotions.

"You're not."

"In that case, _I_ 'd like to make a phone call. Am I free to leave this room?"

"Of course."

She glanced one last time at her fiancé whose smirk was still plastered on his face, and she left the room, walking towards the lobby. She could feel the officer's eyes still on her, a satisfied smile on his face, making her swear to herself that she would work on her poker face. He obviously knew that he had shaken her, and was rejoicing in that fact.

As soon as she was out of his hearing range, she took her phone out and called Kaelie, though when the tonality echoed in the phone, she thought better of it and decided to take her phone call outside.

Kaelie answered at the third ring, all cheery, "Hey Clary, how are you doing?"

"Jace is at the police station," She blurted out, surprised in herself to not have brown down in tears saying those words out loud.

" _What_?"

"They said that he was under arrest, but that there were no charges. And they never gave him a phone call! How is that possible? What kind of police is that? It is an abuse of power, isn't it?"

"Did they _specifically_ say that he was under arrest, Clary?" Kaelie asked, making Clary tick as her heartbeat sped up.

Who cared about which exact words they used, the end result was still that her fiancé was in an interrogation room, with no visible way of getting out of there. She breathed in deeply, doing her best to keep her anxiety and her tears in.

"They said that there were no charges."

"How about you? How did they come to get you there?"

"I'm not under arrest. They just asked to be to come along," She confessed, feeling like a child. It had been rather foolish of her to go without asking any questions. Maybe she should have taken Lauren with her.

"Oh, Clary. Never follow a cop without knowing what he wants from you. Some of them are just … not everyone is as nice as you, Clary."

She didn't say anything, feeling so naive and vulnerable at the moment. Still, a part of her was glad that she had followed that cop because now, she was able to help Jace out of his situation. Who knew, if she hadn't come, he might have had to spend the night in jail.

Kaelie seemed to have picked up on her distress, because she added with a tone full of compassion, "But that's not the point. Law can be tricky. You don't have to be arrested to be interrogated. Policemen play with the fine print of law just as much as lawyers do."

"Well, I don't care about the fine print! I just want to get my fiancé out of here! How do I that? Are you going to help me, Kaelie?"

"I'm not a lawyer, yet."

" _Who cares_?!" She shrieked on the phone, shocked that Kaelie was not in a cab already, on her way to help Jace out of this mess.

She knew how much Jace and Kaelie meant to each other, she knew that their relationship was strong, almost sibling-like, she knew that she had nothing to fear from Kaelie, that Jace loved _her_ , but that Kaelie still held a special place in his heart, even though he never showed it. So she couldn't understand why Kaelie was fussing about technicalities when she knew that Jace would have already been there to help Kaelie out of any sort of situation.

"Everyone cares, Clary. I am not a lawyer and I am not family. If I do the slightest faux-pas, Jace will be the one paying the consequences. And though I know how Jace feels about that, I don't want to put him in that situation. I know someone that can help, let me send him your way. Just give me the address of the police station you're at."

Clary swallowed her tears once again, before letting Kaelie know of her location. Then she leaned against the wall of the building, hoping that she wouldn't have to wait too long for the lawyer. Twice her father tried to call, but she sent him straight to voicemail, not sure she wouldn't burst in tears if she heard the comforting voice of her Dad.

She also ignored the two cops that came and proposed her to wait inside with a cup of coffee. Maybe she was getting paranoid with the situation, but she didn't want to leave fingerprints anywhere. She knew that there would be no use for them, but still, she would rather not risk it.

The sun started to set behind the tall buildings as she overused with Jessica via texts, letting her know that she would definitely be late at the charity gala that was arranged for the night, and asking her to take care of things until she got there. She was collecting money to open a girl school abroad, and she was feeling tacky to be late at her own charity event.

And of course, to top it all up, Izzy and Maryse kept trying to call her, probably worried that she never showed at the seamstress. She would text Izzy, but she knew that it would lead to more questions than answers, and as long as everything was still a mystery, she didn't want to worry her pregnant friend.

Finally, after an hour of waiting, someone approached Clary, stretching his hand out and presenting himself, "Miss Morgenstern I presume. Kaelie sent me. I am Joshua Jones, I am here to Mister Wayland out as soon as possible."

"Thank you," She said with a smile, shaking his hand as she kept for herself that he was anything but what she had been expecting.

He was much older than she thought he would e, probably because she had assumed that Kaelie would have sent one of her classmates. Joshua Jones was probably older than her father. But he emanated of that confidence Clary saw from lawyers on TV, so she could only hope he would be efficient. Maybe he could even be someone she would keep in touch to prevent that sort of situations of happening again.

She followed him inside the station and happy saw him demand to be brought to Jace. Kaelie sent someone that knew what he was doing. "Do you know the name of the officer that brought you in, Miss Morgenstern?"

"He didn't say."

"And the one who questioned you?"

She shook her head, feeling stupid for not asking that simple thing that she felt was entitled to know. But as they were nearing the interrogation room, she saw the officer by the door, talking to another cop and pointed him out to Mr Jones. The lawyer scoffed as if he had been expecting it.

"That's the Chief of police. It's going to be easier than I thought.'

Just before entering the room, he turned to Clary and told her, "Give me five minutes."

True to his words, five minutes later he emerged with the chief and Jace shortly behind him. She saw with relief that Jace was still the same, insolently smirking at the Chief even. But that was until his eyes fell on her. In barely a second, his face became cold and unreadable, though Clary still saw in his eyes the spark of fury that seeing her had started.

Jace looked at her from head to toe, before looking back at the Chief, making Clary's hair rise on her arms. She quickly went to her fiancé's side and slipped her hand in his, repressing simply throwing herself at him out of pure relief. She knew Jace wasn't really fond of public display of affection, and she wasn't going to embarrass him in the middle of a police station.

For a moment, it seemed that Jace was rooted on his feet until Clary nudged him a bit so they could leave that terrible place. Without a word, Jace followed her outside, keeping her hand in his. Joshua Jones advised Jace to keep him in his contact, praising for himself his efficiency, but Clary could tell that Jace wasn't that impressed and that he would use the lawyer as a last resort.

She was about to hail a cab so they could go home, when a car honked them from behind, revealing Jordan waiting for them. They climbed in, both in the back of the car as Jordan explained, "Kaelie sent me. She said you've been a naughty boy, again."

"Take us to the mansion," Was all Jace said, his tone cold as he blatantly ignored Jordan's taunt and took Clary's hand back in his.

"I have somewhere I need to be. Do you mind dropping me first at the apartment in that case?" She intervened, and she was the first surprised by the coldness of her tone.

But that didn't change her mind. She was already late to her event and she wouldn't let whatever Jace and her father were bound to talk about delay her even more. She felt Jace's gaze on her, nut refused to give in and look back at him, too afraid that as soon as she would look into his eyes she would break and be a mess to the gala.

There was a heavy silence for a good part of the drive, during which Clary kept looking through the window, refusing to look at Jace in the eyes. She knew it was selfish of her to keep her breakdown for a later moment, that Jace would happily soothe her down and quiet her worries as she would cry them away, but in the meantime, she had her charity to think about.

"Can I get your phone?" Jace asked Jordan when he understood that there was no point waiting for her to start any sort of conversation. He composed a number, and attacked the person as soon as they picked up,

"Why did get that old prune instead of you?"

She didn't need to be Einstein to know that he had called Kaelie, which made her slightly turn her head to look at Jace sideways. She was used to seeing his face cold and closed off, but at that right moment, Jace was scary. For the first time in her life, she was seeing first hand why everyone was afraid of him. And still, it did not scare her one bit, and still, she loved the man just the same.

Whatever Kaelie told him on the other end of the phone made him hold Clary's hand a bit tighter, as if he was afraid of losing her, before he roared,

"I don't care about any of that! If it comes between a tiny bit for her or something big for me, _you_ know what choice I'll make! _You_ know what I am willing to comply to, and what not! I trust _you_ and no one else! Next time, come, don't send me some old geezer!"

And on those words, he hung up, clearly pissed. Jordan swiftly glanced in the rearview mirror, his eyes on Clary instead of being on his friend, but she kept her mouth shut. Her tears were in her throat, and any word from her would make them shed.

"I'm guessing we're not following the usual protocol on this one, then?" Jordan ventured, his eyes back on the road, and Jace glanced at her before he coldly and firmly announced,

"No."

"Do you want me to back you up?"

Clary's heartbeat accelerated as she understood the hidden meaning of their words, and before she could stop herself, she snatched her hand away from Jace's, looking back at the traffic as they were getting closer to their apartment.

There was a small silence, before Jace said in a barely audible whisper, "Not tonight."

With her jaw clenched, Clary did her best to keep her tears in and was only too relieved when Jordan pulled over in front of their building. For a moment, she even contemplated the idea of getting ready at Izzy's, just so she could avoid Jace and the questions he was bound to ask. After all, Jace had never been fond of sugarcoating her. He eluded, but he was always raw with her when it came to things that mattered to their couple.

But she didn't want to worry her friend, and she knew that ivy would have endless questions if she went to her place to get ready. So she climbed in the elevator with her fiancé, keeping her lips sealed, just like she did for the whole ride, and when he took a step towards her, everything in his posture indicating that he was about to take her in his arms, she stepped back.

She knew that all he wanted was to make her feel better, and she didn't doubt for a second tat the comfort of his arms would bring her a sense of peace. But she also knew that she was seconds away from breaking down and that any sort of contact with Jace would be her undoing. She wished she didn't have the gala to think about, she wished she had time to process everything that had just happened.

"Babe, …" He called out to her, and she turned to him, with her best smile, though her eyes never met his,

"I'm glad you're alright, Jace. I just have this charity event I have to get to take up my mind."

Just as she gave her half-truth, the elevator doors opened, but she knew she hadn't fooled Jace. She knew he was about to grill her about how she felt about this whole situation when she was saved by her father who rushed to her as soon as they entered their apartment,

"Sweetheart, are you alright? Did they —"

"I'm okay, Dad. As I was just telling Jace, I just want to go to my charity, because it would be very tacky of me to organise the thing but not go. And I'm already late."

She kissed her father cheek, surprised by how cheery she was all of a sudden. But it was probably because her father and he never really branched the topic of his side activities. And now she knew for sure that whatever Jace wanted to talk about, he would wait for her to come back, and respect her father's and her relationship that never went down that road.

So she went to the bathroom, leaving the two men together as she got ready for her event, forcing herself to smile convincingly in the mirror, so she would be able to do it later on, in the evening

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **Clary's PoV**

After getting ready for her charity event, Clary had to argue with her father who was strongly opposing the idea of letting her go anywhere. To her surprise, Jace intervened in her favour, though she was sure that it meant that Lauren would be lurking somewhere in her shadows.

Still, once she was at the reception of the hotel where the gala happened, she got struck by a sudden illumination and booked a room for the night. She would be able to think everything through once the event would be over, and would have clear and concise thoughts when she would see Jace on the following day.

The gala went like a blur, though she was grateful for Jessica and James for taking over, without trying to pry as to why she had been late. She hadn't expected any less from Jessica, because the woman had always been good at separating private life and business, but she was also grateful to James who let her know that he was a shoulder she could rely on if she ever felt the need to.

In fact, for the majority of the gala, James had managed to take her mind off things. He was so enthusiastic about that school that they were about to build that Clary had no other choice than to share his excitement. He reminded her that what she was about to do for those girls was no different than what she did for the homeless people of New York. She was changing lives without caring or trying to take the credit of it, she did it just because it was the right thing to do.

It was only when she got in the room that she had booked for the night that all her worries came back to her. She hiccuped of the surprised after closing the door behind her, when she saw Jace sitting in an armchair, waiting for her, his eyes cold on her.

"What are you doing here?" She shrieked, resting a hand on her chest to calm her heart down.

Jace longly looked at her, his eyes staying a bit longer on her sateen golden dress before slowly going to her face and taking her own eye prisoner as soon as their gazes met.

"I could ask you the same question."

She deeply exhaled, putting her clutch on the table as she asked, "Did you ask Lauren to rat on me?"

"No. I called the hotel to know when would your charity event would end, and the reception let me know that Miss Morgenstern was staying for the night."

She did not bounce on that and watched as he got up from his chair and stalked to her. His steps were ominous, and she knew that anyone else would have had cowered at the sight, but she stood her grounds, knowing that she had nothing to fear from Jace. That was the one thing she was sure of at that precise moment.

"Are we not going to talk about what happened earlier? Is this going to be a repeat of what happened two years ago when I tried to open up to you, and you shut me down?"

If he had tried to hurt her, he wouldn't have done a better job. She knew that she had ended their relationship poorly a couple of years ago, and she knew that she had hurt him a lot doing so. But now, knowing that he was in the same state of mind as he had been a few years before was like a knife planted in her heart.

"Did that little show from that dirty cop put you off?" He asked, his voice demanding and pressing, making Clary step backwards as he kept walking to her. She paled, afraid to understand what he was insinuating,

"What do you mean?"

And finally, he stopped, looking at her whole face before hiding his emotions from her. Suddenly, she couldn't see her Jace anymore, just the mask he used with the rest of the world,

"Maybe that little stunt made you … rethink my proposal. Maybe you'd like to call off the wedding and putting me behind you, but you don't know how to do it, so you hide in hotel rooms."

She didn't know what took over her. Maybe it was the exhaustion of that long terrible day, maybe it was the adrenaline of the earlier events, or maybe she was just angry at Jace for suggesting such a thing. She didn't know. All she knew was that, before she even realised it, she slapped Jace as hard as she could, the smack of her palm on his face resonating in the room.

They both stared at each other with shock, Clary being the first surprised for her act of violence before she blurted,

"Do you really think so little of me? Do you think that I'm that shallow and heartless that I'll run at the first obstacle? Do you think that I love you that little?! We are getting _married_ , Jace! For better or worse! I know very well what worse means when it comes to us. But that doesn't mean that I can't be spooked about it! I am _human_ , Jace. I _feel_ things! And unlike you, I actually allow myself to feel those emotions raw and as they come!"

Jace kept on looking at her, not saying a word, not even bringing his hand to his cheek like in movies. He just stared at her and let her rant.

"What if they actually had something on you? What if they actually put you in jail? I am going to be the one who will have to raise our children alone, with their father behind bars. I will be the one who will have to explain to them that, though right and wrong are already defined, their father is still a good man, despite his wrongs. I will be the one who will have to see her husband through bars." Her voice broke at the last part and he took her in his arms, sweetly whispering in her ear, at a loss of words,

"Babe …"

That one simple word was enough to break any control she had left of herself. She burst into tears and seemed refuge in her lover's arms as she confessed,

"I'm just scared that I won't be strong enough. I am beyond terrified that you will try to go after the Chief and give them a valid reason to arrest you. I am _so_ scared, Jace."

"You have no reason to be," He assured her, lifting her chin up so she could see the sincerity in his eyes. But of course, she had a strong case behind her,

" _You were held in detention in a police station just a few hours ago_!"

Jace repressed a chuckle, erasing her tears with his thumbs as he let her know, "Babe that happens to me every couple of months. They bring me in for whatever pretence of the moment, they try to cook me up for a few hours, and I'm out before the day is over. They've never been able to arrest me on real charges, I never gave them the opportunity to.

Every now and then, they try to find a new inventive way to crack me, and today, for the first time of my life, I feared that they might have done so. If you had left me because of them, I can't say that my actions afterwards would have been as thought-of as they usually are."

Instead of reassuring Clary, those words made her cry even more as she got out of Jace's embrace, not believing hr ears,

"How can you think so low of me?" Her cries were ugly, but she couldn't care less. She couldn't believe that Jace had so little faith in her love for him. "I love you. I've told you countless times. How can you think that I would leave —"

"And how can you think that they would catch me? Don't you think that now that I have you and our family to think of, I am even more careful about what I do?"

She had to give him that, Jace loved his idea of a family too much to endanger it. He would do anything to protect it, no matter the cost. He took her face between his hands, looking at her with love and adoration

"Babe … Clary … _You_ are the most important thing in my life. Don't think for even _a second_ that I don't think of you when I make life-changing decisions."

She nodded, sniffling and earning a satisfied smile from her fiancé. Jace loved her. She knew that. And he would always do everything to keep her safe. Which meant he would do anything to keep out of jail. After all, he wouldn't be able to protect her from a government-funded vacation.

"I'm sorry, Clary. I'm sorry they used you. I'm sorry you got so scared. I'm sorry I made you cry."

And on those words, he kissed her, colliding his body to hers. She let herself fall into the sweetness of that kiss, trying to engrave in her memory that moment before clawing herself to Jace.

Gently, he took her in his arms and laid her on the bed, his eyes ravaging her body, though this time, it was with a heated hunger instead of a freezing coldness. She felt herself shiver when he delicately slipped her out of the dress away, and she closed her eyes as he kissed her with passion.

"I love you, Jace," she whispered, out of breath after they broke there to kiss, and he slipped a finger inside of her as he let her know,

"Don't ever scare me like that, babe. I can't bear the thought of losing you."

She moaned, biting her tongue as Jace played music inside of her. "I'm not going anywhere, Jace. I'm here, I'm yours."

She had expected him to take her right away, but he dipped his head between her legs and feasted on her, making her scream out his name as he brought her to cloud nine. His tongue seemed to be everywhere, playing with her most intimate spot and bringing her such pleasure that she hoped that the walls were soundproof.

After she reached her climax, she watched him remove his shirt, but he kept his trousers on as he savagely kissed her, his fingers had found their way back to her core and ripping groans of luxurious delectations. It was only when he still didn't try to take her, even though he had brought her two orgasms that car understood what Jace was doing. She moaned out his name, earning a knowing smirk from him, and he told her,

"Say it, babe. Or I won't stop here."

A part of her toyed with the idea of keeping her mouth shut, just to see how long Jace could resist, but she thought better of it. Maybe she should be the one to make Jace beg for her.

She tried to roll them over so she would be on top, but Jace only smirked at her, securing her against the mattress, "No matter how much I love feeling your mouth on my cock, this is not what I want from it, now. Just say it, babe."

"Make me …" She challenged, earning a victorious smirk from Jace.

He reached for his trousers and thrust in her without her having to ask for it before he started mercilessly pounding in her. But every time she was nearing her climax, he stopped and changed position, only to work her up even more. The more she refused to beg, the more it was building tension between the two of them.

Until the build-up started being too much and she found herself saying her lover's name in a needy voice, taking his face in hers,

"Jace …"

"I'm right here, with you, babe. Just look at me."

He looked deep into her soul, making her explode beneath him, screaming her lungs out as he kept on shooting inside of her before he collapsed on top of her, out of breath. The two of them remained silent, as Jace lovingly removed the sticky hair from Clary's face, and he told her with adoration,

"I love you, Clary."

"I love you too, Jace. For better or worse."

.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚 **Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed** 💚

 **.**

💚 **So, it was just a false alarm. But it made Clary open up about some of her insecurities. And next chapter will have a small time jump (shortly before the wedding), with consequences of that fateful evening … What do you think it is?**

💚 **And don't worry, Aline and James will become more important to the story, just like Kaelie did in the previous story.**

💚 **And I do not condone violence on a spouse! It's not because Clary slapped Jace that it makes it okay! This is a work of fiction, not a guideline! It is never okay to hit your partner, man or woman!**

💚 **And what's was your favourite part? I'm always curious about that. And can you see why I wanted to write it in Jace's point-of-view?**

 **Anyway, Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚


	9. 8, Love Me, Love Me

**My dear little broccolis** 💚💚💚

💚 **So, we have a new chapter rather short, because I couldn't make my mind up on who's point-of-view I should use should. first, I wanted Valentine's, because it was good for the rest of the story, but we were losing on the sweetness of the reveal, then I wanted Jace because … obvious reasons and I settled for Clary, because well, this is her story. It's not because I like writing as Jace that it means I should, haha.**

💚 **On another note, I FINALLY published my second book, Fighting Hearts. It is on amazon, available both on kindle and paperback, so go and check it out. And when you've done reading it, and loving it, if you could leave a review on Amazon, so other people know what you thought of it, that would be amazing.**

💚 **Also, I am starting the third book, so I don't know when I will publish the next chapter, especially since I'm not sure about including the wedding ceremony or not, so … Be on the lookout for Second Chances, though. It is starting to spice up**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚

 **.**

 **Chapter 8** **: Love Me, Love Me (2,9K)**

 **Clary's PoV**

It was two days before the wedding, and Clary was buzzing with excitement. She couldn't believe that in less than three days, she would be _Mrs_ Clarissa Jace Morgenstern. A few weeks ago, when she had made the comment to Jace that she couldn't wait to share his name, he told her that he would rather perpetuate her name than his. He didn't have to explain why, she understood that he was not eager to give his parents' name to his children, and she didn't really mind either way. She never really lingered on the importance of a name, but after Jace had mentioned it, she was glad that her father's name wouldn't go with him.

In truth, Clary was really surprised and thrilled that Jace was invested in their wedding. She had expected him to be like Simon and simply agree with everything she would say, showing up when he was needed and going with the flow. But Jace had been there for every decision concerning there wedding, except when it came to the dress. He helped picked the place for the venue, what kind of cake they should have, he gave his opinion on which flowers he thought would go best with her complexion. And most importantly, he insisted on picking their honeymoon destination.

To this date, she still didn't know where they were going. All she knew was that Jace told her to pack for hot temperatures. She had tried to get the information out of Kaelie or Magnus, but they had no more clues than she did. But at least, she had to admit that her relationship with Magnus had evolved in something more than the cold shoulder he had given her for several months.

Sure, they were still far from being best buddies, but they had a sort of relationship. It was probably due to the fact that Magnus had married Alec a few months ago, and therefore spent more time with her since Alec was just as excited as her about his sister's pregnancy.

When Izzy had given birth just a month ago to a healthy baby girl, Alec had been even more enthusiast than Clary. Ever since he had been all over his baby niece, sometimes even stealing the quality time Izzy could have with her daughter, just to be with her. And since Clary was almost as crazy about her Goddaughter, she had developed a relationship with Magnus.

Strangely enough, none of them ever talked about Jace to one another. They mostly talked about baby Ivy and Kaelie. Though Kaelie never said anything to Clary, Clary could still see that her friend and the married couple was growing closer and closer. They even went on holidays together, which Clary had found weird because Kaelie had just been a third wheel. More often than not, she would find either Kaelie at Magnus's and Alec's, or the boys at Kaelie's. But she never really lingered on that, because she felt like she was reading too much into a simple situation of friendship born out of hardships.

With a little shake of her head, she came back to the present moment, picking in the casserole what Tessa had cooked for Jace and her. Jace and her father were supposed to join her for lunch, though she wasn't expecting her father until dessert since he had gone to Tokyo during the past week to settle down some business.

She had dismissed Tessa for the afternoon, wanting to have Jace for herself for a little while before her father would get home. After all, this would probably be the last time she would see Jace as a maiden before marrying him since she had insisted to follow the tradition to not see him for the twenty-four hours before the wedding.

She had actually been surprised how little Jace had complained about her whims of being as traditional as possible for this wedding. He actually came back a couple of times to the couple sessions Father Crowley had planned for them, though it seemed that the two men had a non-verbal agreement to not talk about their resentment for the other. Jace had also agreed on the location, and the guests list, going as far as inviting his parents to the ceremony _and_ the venue, though he refused to have them sitting at the table of honour.

"That smells nice," A male voice echoed from behind her, making her jump a little.

She turned to look at her fiancé, brightly smiling at him as she guiltily closed the pot, but Jace only showed concern when their eyes met.

"How are you doing?"

"I told you not to worry about it," She admonished, shaking her head a little as he closed the gap between them and lovingly took her face in his hands.

She hadn't been feeling so good for a few days, which had Jace worked up on her case as if she was on her death bed. She only agreed to go to the doctor to get him off her back, and at the condition that he would leave her alone. Of course, she hadn't been expecting the news the doctor had for her.

"What did the doctor say?" He insisted, making her roll her eyes. She loved Jace, and she loved that he cared, but sometimes, he was even worse than her Dad.

"He said that you worry too much and that to make it up to me, you should tell me where we're going to spend our honeymoon."

Jace chuckled, kissing her nose and stepping away from her, though he did not give her the answer that she wanted. She had always loved surprises, but Jace was so good at keeping secrets that it made her even more curious than usual, and she wanted to crack the secret before getting there.

"If I tell you now, I won't get _my_ present, then," Jace retorted, following her into the dining room whilst the sauce finished simmering.

" _You said you didn't want a present_!" She shrieked in outrage.

For months she had asked him what would make him happy to get as a husband from his wife, and for months he had assured her that he wanted nothing. And though she tried to find something that could surprise him, she never found anything, which annoyed her slightly because she had always flattered herself of being the perfect gift finder.

"I said I already had what I wanted. And _that_ particular present I am thinking of, you can't wrap it up. You can only give it to me when you'll see the surprise for the first time."

She repressed herself from blushing and busied herself looking for the cutleries in the drawer so she could dress the table for lunch. Every time Jace was sweet and open like that with her, it was a reminder to her that she was actually the only person to ever see that side of her fiancé. People didn't understand why she loved him, because rare were the people who were even aware that this side of Jace existed, but she knew no one but her ever got to see it, and it always made her feel special.

She smiled, displaying the knives and forks on the table as she lightly said as if nothing, "Fair enough. I just hope that there will be available doctors where we're going."

"Why would we need doctors? I thought you said I worried too much?" The concern was clear on his voice, and she didn't need to turn to look at him and see it on his face as well.

"It is nothing, Jace. You _do_ worry too much. I just think it's always good to have a doctor around. Especially when you're expecting," She explained, keeping her tone light, even though she had stopped what she was doing and was looking at her man intensely now.

Jace froze, two glasses in his hands as his eyes searched in her confirmation of what her mouth had just said. She gently smiled, and added,

"I just think that you're not from this planet. Because your monster cock produces super-sperm that goes through the pill. According to the doctor, super-sperm stroke on the day of your … 'visit' at the police station."

"And you're alright with having a baby _now_?" He asked, searching deep into her eyes and preventing her from lying if she had wanted to. She knew he was referring to the fact that she had clearly stated that she wanted to be married before starting children, but they were about to get married in literally two days.

She nodded, her smile still on, and before she knew it, she was spinning in his arms. She giggled, happy beyond words, and when Jace put her down, she cupped his face, seeing all his love for her shinning in his glistening eyes. For a second, she was taken aback. It wasn't the first time she was seeing Jace on the verge to tears, but the other time had been on his birthday, and though she never really knew what caused it, he had been in anguish that time.

This time, he was radiating joy, love and happiness, and so, all she could do was gently caress his face and let him know, "I love you, Jace."

For a second, he seemed lost in the love of her eyes, before he muttered between his teeth, "Fuck Valentine," and attacked her lips with love and passion.

With as much fervour if not more, she kissed him back, forgetting all about her desire to keep the mansion as something to keep for after their marriage. In fact, more than once when they spent the night at her father's place, Jace had to be the reasonable one reminding her that she wanted to wait.

In fact, for the first time of their intimate life, Clary felt like Jace had lost all sorts of control of himself. The Jace who always made it his personal mission to see her satisfied before business even started was gone, replaced by a demanding and excited Jace who was endlessly kissing her with his passion burning for her.

With eager and hunger, she reached for his belt, not really caring about anything but making one with her lover, and guiding him inside of her. She felt a slight discomfort, proving her that, no matter how much she had wanted it, her body wasn't as ready as she would have wanted. And after he waited a little while for her to get used to his invasion, he started going in and out.

She moaned with pleasure, and though Jace had always been the one to insist for eye contact when they were making love, she was the one this time who made him hold onto her gaze. She kept his face between her tiny hands, her eyes locked with his as he kept his back and forth moves.

They were just like one, sharing one breath, one gaze, one heartbeat and she never wanted that moment to end. She could feel her pick coming, just as Jace's was, making her clench his hair and moan out his name. He captured her lips in a biting but sweet kiss, silently saying what she knew his heart would say if it could speak; and just as quickly as it started, the found their climax together.

When her breath went back to a normal rate, she looked back at Jace, blissfully happy, and felt all his love for her when he looked back at her with a gleeful satiated smile.

"I love you, Clary. More than anything."

She smiled, and pecked his lips, "I love you too."

"Right here, right now is the happiest I've ever been." He retrieved himself and she repressed a grimace, not wanting Jace to see her discomfort. Still, he kissed her lips with love, taking her in his arms bridal style, and walking them to the nearest bathroom.

Once there he let the water run a little, all the while keeping his eyes on Clary who couldn't help but smile like a kid. "I knew you'd be excited about the baby."

This made him frown as if the words were sour to him, and as he pressed a hot towel between her legs, he explained, "I am excited, but it's because it's _our_ baby. I do want to be a father, Clary, you've always known that. But for a while, it has been more than simply being a father. I want to be the father of _your_ children. Any other woman won't do. It's just you. You and I."

She smiled and kissed him, incredulous that once again, Jace managed to make her feel so special with a few mundane words. When they broke their kiss, Jace bent down to kiss her stomach as well,

"Let me go check on that casserole Tessa made."

She smiled and watched him go, feeling like she was on cloud nine. Then, she decided to take a quick refreshing shower before joining her fiancé back in the kitchen where she was surprised to find her father as well, casually talking to Jace. She hadn't expected him for another hour, and now she had the feeling that he had come home when Jace and she had been celebrating in the dining room. Though, Jace did not show a sign of embarrassment. One thing was for sure, they would eat in the kitchen.

"What did the doctor say?" Was the first thing Valentine asked his daughter when he saw her, concern in his tone. She was about to dismiss his worry when Jace's phone rang. She saw on the screen Aline's name displayed before he picked it up and left the room.

For a moment, she forgot she wasn't alone and didn't try to hide her annoyance. Which did not go unnoticed by her father,

"Are you alright sweetheart?"

"Yes, of course, Dad," She said with as much conviction as she could.

No matter how much she trusted Jace and the love he had for her, she couldn't get over the fact that she didn't like Aline. Aline felt … like the other woman working with her man and reminding him that the grass was greener out there. She was nothing like Clary. She was strong, independent and far from being naive, whereas Clary knew who she was. She never would have achieved anything if it wasn't for her father, she got fooled more often than not, and Jace clearly didn't see her as strong since he always insisted on having Lauren on her back.

Aline was the woman Jace would've such an easy relationship with, unlike her. They were from the same world. They probably understood things that Clary never would. They probably shared commonalities than Clary and Jace ever would. And most importantly, Aline was always smiley and doe-y eyed for Jace, no matter how much Jace didn't see it.

She looked at her father, seeing in his eyes that he was ready to push the issue, and so she directed him elsewhere, "I'm just wondering where Jace is taking me for our honeymoon. Do you know?"

"I have a fairly good idea, but I won't tell you."

"Oh, _please_ , Dad!"

Valentine gently shook his head, and explained, "I won't take that away from Jace. He wants to surprise you, and I understand."

Clary pouted, but her father remained on his position, especially since the conversation was cut short by Jace coming back in the kitchen. The three of them sat at the table and started eating when Valentine looked at his daughter with intensity and asked again,

"What did the doctor say?"

"More fright than harm," She eluded, not sure if Jace wanted to share the news yet or not. They hadn't had time to discuss about it, yet. _She_ wanted to let the whole wide world know, but maybe Jace was one of those people who would rather wait for the world to see.

"You seem different," Valentine insisted, making her uncomfortable for she didn't want to lie to her Dad.

Discreetly, Jace put his hand on her knee, before he let her father know, "She is. She's expecting."

For a moment both men stayed silent, staring at one another and saying with their eyes things Clary couldn't fathom before Valentine muttered,

"That explains a lot." Then he turned to his daughter, his whole face lighting up, though, for a split second, she saw fear in his eyes,

"I'm so happy for you, sweetheart."

"You better get your spoil ready, because I fully expect you to spoil your grandchildren rotten," She joked, making both men laugh.

.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚 **Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed** 💚

 **.**

💚 **So, what did you think? There is a Clace baby on the way. Sooooooooo cute.**

💚 **And, yes, Clary is clearly jealous of Aline, but is she right? Remember that she was jealous of Kaelie as well at first.**

💚 **And don't forget to check out my book on Amazon and to leave me your thoughts there. ^^**

💚 **And what's was your favourite part? I'm always curious about that. Mine was the 'F*** Valentine' from Jace. He knew Valentine was home, or on his way, and at that moment, he couldn't care less.**

 **Anyway, Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚


	10. 9: All I Need

**My dear little broccolis** 💚💚💚

💚 **So, I know, I disappeared! But guess what, I was writing my third book, and now I am on the fourth and last one. I now you can read stories for free here, but if you could go and check out The Hearts Series on Amazon, but it, like it and leave a positive review there and on Goodreads, that would be amazing. I mean, I like writing, or I wouldn't be on this website, but if I can get my stories out there and touch even more people, that would be a dream come true. So mane my life a bit better, and help me out.**

💚 **On another note, let's get back to business (to defeat the Huns). FINALLY a new chapter, and what a chapter, it is over 8K, and just sweetness overload ... I can be so nice sometimes that I surprise myself, haha. All jokes aside, enjoy this chapter and be patient for the next one. You see I did not abandon anything, I am just busy.**

💚 **Also, I wrote a few one-shots, as well as a short story, so go check them out and leave a review there to make me smile even more.**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚

 **.**

 **Chapter 9** **: All I Need (8,0K) {Within Temptation}**

 **Clary's PoV**

Clary woke up in the middle of the night with her bladder bursting. Still, she did not get out of bed straight away, appreciating Jace's arms on her naked breast for a few moments. Even though her brain was still foggy with sleep, she couldn't stop smiling, still high on the joy of now being **_Mrs_** Clarissa Morgenstern. This was her first night as Jace's wife, and she hadn't been able to stop smiling since they tied the knot two days ago.

As discreetly as she could, she got out of bed, though Jace's hold on her unconsciously got slightly tighter before letting her go, and she went to the bathroom, doing her best to not get lost on the way. They had arrived earlier in the evening and spent most of that time celebrating their union until Clary collapsed of exhaustion.

She was actually glad that Jace had kept the secret as to the destination of their honeymoon because as he had promised, she liked the surprise better. They were on an island on the coast of Japan, but what made Clary immediately jump in her husband's arms was the fact that the island was his gift to her. She had been surprised in more than one way to be fair. It was more than the fact that she had no idea of where their honeymoon would be, but mostly the fact that Jace had always been subtle in his ways to show her that he loved her. He was not a romantic per-say, even if he still had spontaneous gestures that always warmed her heart.

For instance, Jace was not the type of guy who would come back home with a bouquet of purposely chosen flowers or would sing a song in public to declare his love like Jordan did to purpose to Maia. But he still did subtle things that made Clary's heart melt. Like the time he took her to a Broadway show, though she knew that he hated musicals or the fact that he always made a point to come to her charity events when he was in town, even when she knew he was very busy.

And still, the island that Jace had gifted her for their wedding was just … extravagant coming from him, not that she liked the gesture any less, she just wastes expecting him to do something so over the top. Though he did not say it, she knew why he chose japan, it was where their story started, and she loved that little extra thought he put in the gift. She was not going to lie, Jace was terrible at remembering important dates, and she was sure that there would be many forgotten anniversaries and valentines in their future, but though she cared about the missed celebrations, she cared more about the fact that Jace always paid attention to what she would say. On more than one occasion, she had mindlessly said that she wanted to go back to Japan with him for a holiday, so they would recapture the magic of their stolen moments, and Jace had given her a reason to come back more than once.

When she was finished in the bathroom, she slipped in a robe and went to the terrace, feeling that jet-lag was catching up to her and that she would not be able to go back to sleep. She watched the sun rise in the horizon, sipping on some tea as her mind wandered to when Jace saw her walking down the aisle at her father's arm.

 _Her heart was beating incredibly fast as she walked down the aisle with her father to the rhythm of the music. Jace looked at them walking to him, his face as expressionless as usual when they were with other people, but still, Clary saw that little smile that briefly sparkled in his eyes when he saw her in her dress. In fact, she had completely changed her idea of her dream dress because of that smile, to Maryse's greatest astonishment._

 _Her dress mostly respected tradition by being white, and she made a point of not having long sleeves, though this had always been one of her reasons why she wanted a summer wedding, just so she could wear a bustier dress. But instead of going for the sateen dress she had planned for most of her life, she had decided to go for a dress with lace and a large skirt. Though she knew that the thing that made Jace smile wasn't the dress in itself, but the blue flowers, birds and jewels finely detailed all over her bustier and elegantly falling on her white skirt._

 _Though he only told her once, Jace always showed her how much he appreciated that she remembered that little thing and always wore blue when they attended an event together, and she couldn't think of a better occasion than their wedding to keep that tradition going. Especially when she had always dreamed of a Cinderella wedding and she knew that this dress would make any Disney princess pale with envy._

 _She had kept her hair rather simple, making sure it was gathered in one side of her face, and that the veil did not hide the comb that her own mother wore during her own wedding. That little piece of her that made her feel that Jocelyn Morgenstern was by her side on this particular day, her heart beating with as many emotions as Clary's. According to Maryse, Jocelyn wore her hair the exact same way on her own wedding, and that little information made Clary feel closer to her mother more than ever. In a way, she hoped that this comb would be her lucky charm and that it would bring to her marriage as much love as it brought to her mother's, though she hoped to not hold the same tragic fate._

 _She saw how Jace quickly glanced at the comb whilst her father was kissing her forehead, and she was glad that he paid attention to that detail important to her. Though she had told him a lot about that piece of jewellery that her father had given her, she never showed him the jewel in question, keeping its reveal for the big day, even if she knew that Jace was only indulging her with that whole wedding ordeal. A part of her was sure that Jace would have been perfectly fine living in sin or simply going to Vegas over a weekend to tie the knot._

 _Once Father Crowley started his sermon, Clary had notion of nothing but Jace and the way his hands were lovingly holding hers with delicateness. She had experienced first hand how strong and powerful those same hands could be, and yet, at that moment they were holding her as if she was a dove._

 _With a bright smile, she looked at her husband to be, her heart pounding in her chest, still trying to grasp reality over the fact that she would soon be Jace's wife in front of God and men. There was still this part of her that couldn't believe how close she came to lose him over a simple misunderstanding, because she had been too scared to ask him to clarify one simple little sentence, because -thigh she had taken it from many other people- she wouldn't be able to hear that Jace valued her father's opinion more than hers._

 _But the way he was looking at her that that moment proved that he would never love anything or anyone the same way he loved her. She was, and always would be the one person whose opinion mattered most to him. And maybe their children would have the same status later in life, but that was different, it was their children._

 _She glanced down at her still flat stomach, looking at their unborn child, and though her eyes were cast down, she knew that he just did the same. They haven't told anyone yet about her pregnancy, except for Valentine, and Father Crowley (who made a joke on how timely that pregnancy came for her), because Clary wanted to tell after their honeymoon. She wanted to keep this little secret for themselves until sharing it with the whole wide world._

 _She was taken out of her thoughts by Jace gently squeezing her hands before reaching for her ring and sliding it on her fingers as he said his vows,_

 _"I take you, Clarissa Adele Morgenstern, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, to always be loyal and truthful to you, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness, in health, to love and to cherish, until death do us part, according to God's holy law. And this is my solemn vow to you."_

 _She smiled, her eyes going to the ring to keep her tears of happiness from falling. Still, she noticed the slight variation Jace made. Father Crowley had asked them if they wanted to write their own vows 'like many people of the new generation did', but Clary refused. Sure, she would have liked better to have more intimate vows, but she also knew that Jace was someone very private when it came to his feelings and that those feelings were very strong when it came to her. So she declared that they would stick to the traditional vows._

 _And yet, Jace made a point on adding that little line for her. Of course, she knew that Jace would be loyal to her, he loved her. Even if she ever doubted that fact, Kaelie was there to remind her that Jace only had eyes for her, and Magnus even made a couple of jokes alluding to the fact that Jace never masturbated, and only relieved his tension with her. But the part she liked was the trust._

 _After all, with his line of work, it would be so easy for him to lie to her, and she knew that she was naive enough to not see through his deceptions. But Jace had always told her that he would always be honest with her. And now, he was reiterating his promise in front of God. Sure, she knew that Jace was not a person of faith, but she was, and therefore, he knew that this particular would hold a special meaning for her._

 _She took Jace's ring out of the cushion and said her own vows, her eyes solely on his face. He had never looked so handsome before. Sure, she liked him better in a pair of jeans and with the shadow of a beard tainting his cheeks, but at this right moment, he looked perfect._

 _Once again, he had gone with tradition, sticking to the black tuxedo that every man wore at their wedding, but he had a marigold pocket square which made he smile, that simple nod to her favourite colour. He also had his hair trimmed, though she liked it a bit longer, and she highly suspected that Maryse had something to do with that haircut. After all, after she mindlessly told Jace that she liked his hair long enough for her to grab, he always kept his hair long enough for her to grab it._

 _As she finished saying her vows, she let herself get lost in Jace's golden eyes and the love they held for her. In all honesty, she had never felt so loved before. It was as if the church was empty, and there was only Jace and her. He had this magical power to make her feel unique in a way no one else ever could. She didn't count her Dad, because the love of a parent was something else entirely._

 _As Father crawly asked if anyone was against their union, her heart skipped a bit. Not much because she feared someone might get up and reject her marriage, but because Jace, though his eyes never left hers, suddenly had an imposing and menacing posture, as if daring anyone to refuse him this moment._

 _And finally, the words she had been waiting all her life to hear came from Father Crowley's mouth, "I pronounce you husband and wife."_

 _Jace gently rose his ringed hand to her face, caressing her cheek with love before he leaned and she finally got to kiss the man she had wanted to marry for years. Though she had never admitted to Kaelie or Izzy, she had pictured Jace as her future husband pretty early on in their relationship. And for long, she thought it would only be a dream she would never be able to share with anyone, because of who Jace was and his connection to her father. But it turned out that her dream became reality, and at this right moment, she felt like she was lost in a sweet fairy tale ending, as she was kissing the man who just became her husband._

She loved using that word, ' _husband_ '. In fact, she had noticed that Jace loved calling her his wife, and letting the world know of that. He had used the sentence ' _my wife and I_ ' so many times that she felt that he was trying to brand it, not that she was bothered by it. She had to admit that it was a bit weird to keep her maiden name and have Jace take it as well because she had always pictured herself taking her husband's name, but she understood why Jace insisted on dropping his name.

He never had to spell it out for her, but she assumed that Jace had intention on giving his father's name to his children because of the resentment he still had against his parents. In fact, she was actually surprised at how polite he had been during the wedding, even indulging Celine waylaid with a dance when Clary danced with Michael, though Clary was sure that it was mostly a reaction to her pointing out to him that him keeping his parents at bay meant that he would deny his children the spoil of grandparents.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she jumped out of her skin when she received a loving peck on her cheek, dropping her empty mug on her laps as Jace looked at her with mirth dancing in his eyes. She picked up her mug, playfully glaring at her man who was looking at her with love, his pyjama trousers on. She let her eyes travel on the rest of her naked body, appreciating the fact that she fell in love with a man who had a body for himself, full of toned muscles and with stamina that she got to benefit from quite often.

"I woke up before you, you lazy bum," She smugly said with a grin, making Jace quirk an eyebrow at her because they both knew that she had only been up early because of jet lag and that Jace had already caught up with his lack of sleep of the past few days. Still, he did not argue with her logic and simply crouched by her side to be at eye-level with her, and she kissed him with love.

"Thank you again for my wedding gift," She said, repeating for the umpteenth time how much she loved her present. She had always loved getting gifts, but nothing compared to the spoil that Jace gave her for her wedding.

"Thank you for mine."

She grimaced, feeling that Jace got cheated somewhere in that 'exchange' of gifts. Sure, he had told her that he was only interested in the smile she would have when she would see what her present was, but it felt like very little compared to what he gave her. And yet, no matter how much she tried to think of something that would please Jace, she couldn't figure out a way to surprise him the way he had surprised her, which she blamed on his minimalistic approach of life.

"Do you want tea?" She asked, getting up with a small pic in her heart as she thought that her coffee days were over for at least the next year coming.

She walked to the kitchen and put the kettle on, still noticing from the corner of her eye that Jace discreetly put his gun in one of the drawers. The very few rare times she had woken before Jace, he had always looked for her with his gun in hands as if anyone would be fool enough to try and harm her in his own home. But she never said anything, because she knew that this was how he was and that there was no point in trying to change something that was too deeply rooted inside him.

As she reached for the tea bags in one of the cupboards, Jace stood behind her, taking her in his arms as he languorously pointed out, "We still haven't christened the kitchen …"

"We still haven't christened the terrace either. And yet, you contented yourself with a simple peck. We haven't been married a week yet that you're already getting bored in that department," She teased with a playful smile, though her whole body was leaning against his.

"You're right. I have been failing my duties as your devoted husband," He conceded, something predatory echoing in his tone instead of penance.

She never had the opportunity to retort anything to that, because he captured her lips with his and gave her a long, luscious kiss that clearly indicated that he was about to physically prove that he was indeed a devoted husband. She smiled, wrapping her hands around his neck and deepening their kiss as his fingers were already opening her robe so he could have access to her body.

Without much efforts from his part, he picked her up and sat her down on the kitchen isle, his golden eyes shining with lust as they ravaged her body. She briefly shivered when her thighs touched the marble surface, but barely focused on it as she let her robe fall from her shoulders, all smiles to Jace.

These were probably the only times they would get to be freaky outside of their bedroom. After all, they were moving in the mansion, and even though Jace said he would still keep his apartment in Manhattan, they were about to be parents. It wouldn't be the same now that they would always have a kid around. This was why she fully intended to take as much pleasure from her honeymoon as possible.

She expected Jace to resume kissing her, but he groaned something about breakfast, before demonstrating exactly what kind of breakfast he had been talking about. She took a shark breath, closing her eyes and arching her back as his tongue played wonders on her sweet little nub. She enjoyed the melody Jace was orchestrating for her, taking a particular delight when he added a finger and then another. In fact, she was so overwhelmed that she herself started to sing, glad that there was no one but them in the house.

As the pressure was getting stronger and stronger, she started trashing, trying to find something to hold on to, but the edges of the isle were too far, so she grabbed his head, slightly destabilised once again by the length of his hair, and she found herself begging for Jace. She wasn't sure what she was begging for. For him to stop, or for him to never stop. She just wanted … she wasn't sure anymore.

Though she had her eyes closed, she could feel his gaze on her as he kept pleasuring her with his magical tongue, his head between her legs who were resting on his shoulders, and when he used his other hand to keep her still, to take some control away from her as he gently nibbled her clit, that was the moment when she felt the world coming down to her. She let out a satisfied heave, lazily opening her eyes as Jace kissed his way up, slowly erasing the taste of her on her skin.

She knew, just by the way he had just played with her and the way he was hungrily looking at her that it was far from over. She had noticed that the more earth-shattering were the foreplays, the longer Jace intended to play with her, just making sure that she would be loose enough to take him without discomfort.

Once he was kissing her again, she reached between her legs and took possession of his member after having slightly rubbed her hand with her own juices. She went up and down, stimulating him, though she knew she was far from her game and she wouldn't be able to tease him as she would usually do, and after a few minutes o pleasurable strokes, Jace took back the lead and impaled her in one swift motion.

She squeaked of pleasure as he strongly tangled one of his hands in her hair, silently indicating her that he was about to be anything but sweet. This had never been a spoken rule between them, but she had noticed that every time Jace strongly grabbed her hair, he was rougher than usual.

He looked at her green eyes, love and lust mixing in a sweet combination that made her insides squeeze, and as he pounded into her with force and determination, and she planted her nails in his biceps, trying to get some control over herself. She wanted to make their intercourse last as long as possible, but it seemed that Jace was set on making her see stars again already.

His tawny eyes sparkled with victory as he hit her G-spot, making her moans slightly turn to screams and her eyes roll to the back of her head, until she became undone, crying out his name, sure that some of her nails tore the skin of his arms. He pecked her as she came down her high, and when she started to rotate her hips to help him finish, he brought her face to his and darkly explained,

"I am far from finished with you."

Then, he picked her up, and relocated them, kissing her passionately. She briefly wondered how he managed to not bump them into any pieces of furniture or walls, and before she knew it, she was back on the terrace, the sun much higher in the sky warmly kissing their skins.

"Are you okay to stand?" He asked with love and concerned, and for only answer, Clary got to her feet, not bothered the slightest in the world that they were both naked for the world to see.

He smiled at her, cupping her face to resume his kissing, but for once, she was faster than him and kneeled before him, taking his member in her hand as she glanced up, pretending to be all innocent about it. She ever so slowly took his monster-cock in her mouth, a wicked sense of victory when she saw him close his eyes and jerk his head backwards, and she started pumping what could not fit in her mouth with her hand.

Though she had never been a big fan of blowjobs, she liked how they were affecting Jace. Probably because he rarely let her go down, and therefore amplified the rare pleasure. What she liked the most about giving him that sort of bliss was the fact that he seldom kept his usual control when she had him in her mouth. In fact, she liked even starting foreplays with her on her knees, because it set him wild and she always benefited from that. There hadn't been a single time where Jace left her unsatisfied, especially after she gave him such satisfaction.

As she did her best to keep a certain cadence, Jace's fingers found their way to her hair, and for a second, he looked down, as if asking if it was okay for him to take control of the rhythm. She smiled as best as she could before closing her eyes and letting Jace know that she was okay with him taking the lead. then, she closed her eyes, focusing on still stimulating the rest of his member with her hand as she did her best not to gag.

She heard him swear several times, making her smile for he ever so rarely swore in front of her and when she took a step backwards when she felt that he was about to blow. Jace took over his masturbation, his eyes locked on hers before he sprayed his load on her chest with a heave of satisfaction. Though they never talked about it, it seemed that he instinctively knew that she wasn't really fond of him finishing in her mouth, and he actually never did. He always banished either on her torso, either inside her.

As he was trying to catch his breath, she got up, using her way up to his lips, and once she kissed his lips, he grumbled to her, "Still, I am far from being finished with you."

"Goodie."

As much as it had pleased Jace to receive a fellation, it still turned her on to please her man like that. And he had the good surprise to realise so as he slipped a finger inside of her and took note of how wet she was for him. They kissed zealously whilst he was stimulating himself, reigniting their passion.

Without any sort of warnings, he spun her around so she would face the sea crashing on the beach, and he took her from behind, after having lubed himself with his own juices. He nibbled her ear, a hand on her stomach as he languorously whispered in her ear,

"Hold on to the bar, babe. I'm going to be rough and make you lose your breath."

She did as told, a part of her mind briefly wondering if she should feel weird having sex in the open like that when birds and other sorts of animals could clearly see them, but all sort of reasons what knocked out of her once Jace increased his thrusts. It was more than rough, it was almost animalistic. She held on tighter to the bar, her throat become drier and drier due to her sharps intakes of breath and as she felt yet another orgasm to her, much stronger than the ones she had before, Jace's hand snaked from her stomach all the way down to her clit, so he could play with it, making her scream bloody murder.

In fact, for a moment, she thought that she would pass out of pure pleasure if it hadn't been for the fresh brisk of air caressing them. Jace slowed down his pace, bringing his hand up so he could provide her support. He lovingly pecked her back, and once her head was no longer spinning, she started rocking her hips again, hoping to give him something as earth-shattering as he just gave her.

But Jace stepped back and picked her up, making her feebly giggled as she questioned, "Are we going to christen every room of this house today?"

He grinned at her, and she could see the answer in his eyes before he could even say a word, "No. I just want to make love to you, now. And what better place than our bed?"

She smiled back, a part of her relieved that he was not going to take her in every room of this house. Sure it was much smaller than the mansion back in New York, but it still had quite a few unexplored rooms, and she felt that her body wouldn't be able to take so much action all at once.

Once in the bedroom, Jace laid her on the bed, but Clary decided otherwise and made sure that he was the one lying in bed before she impaled herself on him. She then laid on top of hi, and rotated her hips in that way Jace loved so much when she was on top, her eyes locked on his as he kept telling her how much he loved her.

She knew she was too drained, and a bit too sore to enjoy an actual orgasm, but she helped Jace get his own, still feeling a little something as he unloaded himself inside of her.

With a smile of satisfaction, she let herself fall on his chest, closing her eyes as she listened to his heart coming back to a normal cadence whilst his fingers gently traced her skin, and after a little while of peaceful and blissfully quiet, Jace moved them.

With love still shinning in his honey eyes, he retrieved himself and once again, she couldn't help her grimace of discomfort. She was not going to lie, she loved sex, and she loved it, even more, when Jace was raw and rough. But it often left her sore, no matter how much Jace tried to get her ready beforehand. And no matter how much she told Jace that she liked the soreness, that it was a part of sex for her, it never failed to bring a concerned frown between his brows.

Though she was too lazy to get up herself, she couldn't help but smile when she heard that he was running a bath for her in the ensuite bathroom. It took her a couple of minutes for her to find the strength to join him there, but he was nowhere to be seen, so she used the opportunity to use the toilet. Then, she got into the tube, loving the feeling of the burning water on her skin, and especially how soothing it was on her sore and still slightly throbbing sex.

She knew that Jace would not join her since he had never appreciated hot water, so she cut down the water and closed her eyes, wondering how Jace could be such a sweet man when it came to those little things that no one would ever know, and yet, such a cold and terrifying person to everyone else. She closed her eyes, soothed by the calming effect of the warm water and let herself slightly doze off, slightly curious of Jace's whereabouts.

She was startled a few moments later by Jace walking back in the bathroom, still naked and holding a tray with fruits and teas for the two of them. As he placed the tray across the bathtub, he let her know,

"As much as I'd like to stay with you locked up in the house all day, we need to go out and buy more substantial food."

"I can live on love and freshwater," She grinned, picking on the grapes Jace just brought, and he condescendingly shook his head as he pointed out,

"Maybe, but I can't. And neither can the baby."

Her smile widened and she placed a hand on her stomach, getting excited over the idea that soon, it could grow with their child in it. She hoped that Jace would not turn into one of those husbands who became overbearing once their wives became pregnant, but so far, in the very few days he had known about their future child, he had been reasonably normal.

As she overtly ate the fruits from the tray, widely opening her eyes when Jace made a move to come in the bath with her. She scooted a little bit so he would have space behind her, and she saw how all his muscles tensed as his body hit the water. She gave Jace a minute for his body to adjust to this unusual temperature he was imposing to it, and once he seemed to relax a little, she leaned against him, kissing his chest where he was tattooed.

"Did you plan anything for those two weeks, or can I ask for a shopping spree?"

"You can set the pace and we can do whatever you want. Just know that I have an appointment in Tokyo on Tuesday."

Her enthusiasm flattered immediately as her hopes of a honeymoon free of Jace's work shattered on the floor. Though she could not see him, she knew that he had closed his eyes as he leaned against the tub and assured her, "It's not work-related, I promise."

"You're not going to tell me what it is, then?"

"Mmmh … I think I will let you see for yourself. You're cute when you're curious."

"Am I cute when I shop as well? Because I've never shopped in Beijing, and I was thinking that maybe we could spend the weekend there before going to Tokyo, then?"

She felt Jace freeze as she mentioned the Chinese capital, and she instantly felt bad, remembering how Jace had almost died in Macau a few years earlier. He probably did not want to go back to the country where he almost lost his life and thinking about it, neither did she.

"I'm sorry, I forgot about Macau."

"It has nothing to do with that. I've been there several times since then. It's just … I'd rather if I could take you to Beijing some other time. There have been some tensions between us, lately."

She nodded, not really eager to talk about Jace's gruesome job during hitter honeymoon. She had learnt to live with it and the fact that she could actually talk about it with Jace. In fact, she did ask him several times about his day, about his work, but this was not something she wanted to dwell into during the most romantic time of her marriage.

"We can go to Seoul, then. Let's keep the Chinese shopping when we will come back with our baby to walk on the Great Wall."

He kissed her head, bringing his hands to her stomach, and she asked, finishing the last grapes,

"Do you want a boy or a girl?"

"A boy.

"That was fast. And it's not what you're supposed to say. You're supposed to that you want a healthy baby."

She heard him chuckled, making her head bob a little as he explained, "Of course I want our baby to be healthy. But I'd rather have a boy first, so he can take care of his siblings afterwards."

"You're being so archaic right now. It can go both ways. Izzy protects Max. And Simon has a big sister, and she kicked a lot of asses in school when he was bullied for being the nerd that he is."

"I am fully aware that girls can kick ass too. I'm the one who got Lauren on your tail. But I guess you're right, I am being archaic."

"Do you want a boy first because of what you do?"

"You mean because I'm a mobster?" It always seemed so easy for him to say that word, whilst she still struggled with it. Even though they were very much open about it now, and only abstained to talk about this side of his job when they were with her father, she still struggled to say that one particular word out loud, or even think it.

"No, babe. Whether we have girls or boys, I will not be like your father on this. Don't get me wrong, I understand that he gave you a life that I'm denying our children, but I refuse to have them … blissfully ignorant of what I do. If they want to follow my footsteps, it is completely up to them, though."

She nodded, far from disagreeing with Jace. Though she was grateful that her Dad had given her the life she had, she still did not wish to reiterate the same path with her own children. No matter how happy and sweet her life had been under her father's eyes, she didn't want her kids to grow in the same bubble that could be burst open at any time.

"You on board with me for that, right babe?" Jace inquired, taking her chin between his fingers to make her look at him.

She smiled, surprised that he would think that she would object when they had a similar conversation a couple of months ago on how she fully intended on raising her children with her faith, though she would not impose her religion on them and let them chose on their own when they would be old enough.

With a satisfied sigh, he leaned to kiss her, his free hand caressing her stomach with love, and when they broke their sweet kiss, she unplugged the tub and let some water go before replugging it and warning her husband,

"I'm going to add some hot water."

She felt him tense in anticipation of the heat, and she made a mental note to make the effort of learning to handle the cold more because she definitely liked the sweet intimacy of having a bath with Jace. Or maybe, she could make sure that once in a while, her father would not be home, and Jace and she could have some fun times in the pool, though it would be something different. A bathtub clearly felt more intimate than a pool.

"Well, since you're hoping for a boy first, I was thinking of names. And I feel like Jonathan would be great for our firstborn."

She waited for a little to get an answer from him, but Jace remained quiet until she had to turn her head to look at him, at least to see if he had heard her. She was met with that mask he usually kept for everyone else but her, the one she hated so much because it was impossible for her to read into his thoughts, and so she explained her point-of-view,

"Jace … I know that you didn't get to know Jon, but … he was a good person, and a good brother to me. And to be fair, I'm sure you would have gotten along with him. I just … want to honour my brother, and I can't think of a better way."

Once again, she waited for him t say something, but he remained silent, his eyes steady on her though she could tell that his brain was going at a thousand miles an hour. And finally, he closed his eyes, leaning back as he simply said,

"I'd rather not."

For a moment, she simply stared at him, shocked that he was not giving her any sort of explanations as to why he wouldn't do that one simple thing. In fact, this was something she had tried not to think about ever since he had brought her the devastating news of her brother's demise. She was sure that he knew what happened to Jon in excruciating terrible details, but he kept it for himself in order to spare her.

But that was before, now that they had been honest about who and what he was, he could tell her anything else. Which was why she insisted,

"Do you know what happened to him? I mean, the long version, not the version where you try to spare my feeling?"

He opened back his eyes, coldly tilting his head to her as he darkly warned her, "Don't go there. Don't ask that next question."

"You're the one who swore to me before God that you'd always be honest with me," She bargained, trying to catch him in his own web, but Jace simply smiled with compassion to her, cupping her face with love and finally forging his cold mask as he said,

"And you're the one who told me that you trusted me to know best when you wanted to know something or not. Of course, I won't lie to you, but I'm telling you, babe, _trust me_ and don't ask any more about it."

She hesitated a moment, still wanting to know more, though a part of her told her to trust Jace and his instincts on the matter. After all, knowing more about Jon would not bring him back and she trusted Jace's love for her enough to think that Jace had advanced her brother in a way or another, even if he didn't tell her. Maybe Jon had ended up in the wrong crowds, amongst drug dealers or some other people from whom he thought Valentine's reputation would protect him, and Jace just did not want to shatter that pristine image she had of her brother. And in a way, she was grateful for that.

So, she dropped the issue, and tried to hide her heavy heart as she said, "So, Jon's out of the picture, but we still have time to find another name."

Jace once again forced her to look at him in the eye and told her, "I love you, Clary. Whatever happens in our lives, you will always come first, you _do_ know that, don't you?"

She nodded with a small smile, and he let her know before kissing her, "Your happiness comes first to me, and if I have to make you a little sad to keep you happy in the long run, I will always choose that option."

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

After they spent the weekend in Seoul, Clary had one sole focus, going back to the island. Sure she enjoyed sightseeing and shopping, especially when she had the opportunity to buy matching _hanbok_ for Jace, their baby and herself (to Jace's greatest dismay), but she was also very eager to go back to the quietude of their island where she could have her husband all t herself before she would have to share him with the world again.

They were now in Tokyo, on their way to Jace's mysterious appointment before they would take the ferry back to their island, and she literally melted when she finally caught up with Jace's intentions. He took them to a traditional tattoo parlour where he got the date of their wedding tattooed on his chest, right above his left pec, opposite the tattoo he already had of a clary sage.

She wished she was not pregnant to do the same herself, and she made a mental promise to get the same tattoo after she would give birth. She stayed with him as he was getting inked for life how much their wedding meant to him, and her brain wandered to what her father told her before walking her down the aisle.

 _"Are you happy, sweetheart?"_

 _Clary rolled her eyes waving Izzy and Kaelie good-bye as they said they would get in position. She checked on last time her appearance in the mirror, satisfied with the image she was showing and hoping that the photographer would be able to capture the magic of this day on his pictures so she would have something to show her children about how much their father made her happy._

 _"Dad … I'm literally about to walk the aisle. I think it's a little too late for cold feet. Plus, Jace would never let me the runaway bride."_

 _She watched her father look at her with pride and happiness, though there was a hint of sadness gleaming in his chocolate eyes, the ghost of Jocelyn even more present than usual on this particular day. He sat by the vanity, worrying his daughter by his relocation. He was supposed to give her his arm and walk her to Jace._

 _"Dad?"_

 _"Jace would let you be the runaway bride if you wanted. He's a better human being than I am."_

 _"Don't be ridiculous, Dad. You're the best father there is out there. I wouldn't trade you for the world," She assured him, as she crouched by his side and took his hands in hers._

 _"He was ready to let you go when you broke up because he thought that this was what you wanted. This is how much he loves you. He'd rather be miserable if that meant you being happy."_

 _"Did he tell you that?"_

 _"He doesn't have to. I can see it in his eyes. As Maryse pointed out several times, he looks at you the same way I used to look at your mother."_

 _She stopped breathing altogether, surprised by this sudden mention of her Mom when her father always made sure to avoid the topic. She briefly considered asking how far along he was in his small barrel of whisky and if he was drunk already, but decided against it, simply glad for that little thin her father had just given her. She knew that Jace loved her, but now she could quantify this love as being as eternal as the one Valentine had for Jocelyn._

 _"You look so much like her. Sometimes, I wish you'd look a bit more like me, because … it's not easy sweetheart. I loved her so much," He kept going, his eyes shining with emotions, and she tried to find something to say to make him feel better, but he shook his head,_

 _"I'm sorry I never talk about her. It hurts for the both of us. But … I'm sure she would be so happy for you today. Seeing that you're marrying a man who loves you that much."_

 _She smiled and kissed his cheek as she lightened a bit the mood. She was glad for that moment where her father opened up a bit about her mother, and though she was sure the alcohol played a big part in that, she was still grateful for it. But she did not want her father to have depressing thoughts on her wedding day, feeling that he was losing her just like he had lost his wife, so she jokingly said,_

 _"Well, Jace doesn't have a choice than to love me, you're my Dad. Everyone is scared of you."_

 _It seemed that this little sentenced that had been meant as a joke sobered him up, because he stood up, bringing her up with him, and told her,_

 _"I'm getting old, Clary. People are more afraid of Jace than of me, now. And that includes me."_

 _"Jace is not that bad. He's actually really nice," She chastised, defending her husband to be, like every time someone badmouthed him._

 _Valentine chuckled, and retorted, "My point exactly. You're the only who's seen this side of him. You're the only he trusts enough to show his emotions to. I'm no idiot, Clary. I know he's loved you for a long time. That's why he came to you first after Macau, that's why he brought you to the cemetery on your mother's anniversary, that's why he agreed for a wedding in a church when we both know his views on religion. And most importantly, that's why he doesn't interfere in our relationship. We are both in a bubble that none of us wants to burst, and though his presence should pop that bubble by his loyalty to the two of us, he still does his best to give you the father you want."_

This had been the closest of having her father admit who he really was to her, but she was sure that Valentine would take this opportunity that Jace was giving them and keep their relationship as it had always been. And though she knew it was childish of her, she would gladly stay in that bubble.

With a smile, she took Jace's right hand in hers, making small talks with the tattooist, and once he was dome and they were out of the door, she let her husband know,

"If you ever doubt my love, just know that I too put you first Jace. Before whatever others say, before however, they might feel, it's you that I chose. And if I ever have to choose, I'd even take you over my father, because I know that's what he'd want for the both of us, deep down."

.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚 **Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed** 💚

 **.**

💚 **So, what did you think? I think I can honestly say this is the cutest thing I have ever written! I am surprised at myself. Promise, I'm killing someone next chapter. How about Bastille?**

 **💚Concerning the last chapter, there are many things. So in my mind, Valentine came back a bit earlier than planned, and Jace heard him, but clearly did not care about him at that moment. So Val just busied himself in the furthest part of the mansion. As for the pregnancy, well ... Jace wants to be a father so bad, to do right what has been done wrong to him. And Clary said several times that she just wants to be the best Mom out there. As for Aline ... well, she is here, but remember that I like playing against the cliches ...**

💚 **And, I will put Clary's dress on Pinterest, because it is a masterpiece. Whatever you pictured, double that, Clary always said she would not go little for her wedding!**

💚 **And don't forget to check out my books on Amazon and to leave me your thoughts there and on Goodreads... ^^**

💚 **And what's was your favourite part? I'm always curious about that. Mine was the bath. It was sweet, intimate and with open hearts ...**

 **Anyway, Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚


	11. 10: Somewhere

**My dear little broccolis** 💚💚💚

💚 **So, you know what, ii was not planning on updating this early, and then, it learnt it was one of you guys birthdays, so here is my little present for you. ENJOY, and once again, happy HAPPY birthday, get spoiled a bit more!**

 **💚Also, this is a Jace POV, you guys are so happy. i know you are. And it's 6 FREAKING K! So ... i guess that means I earned a few reviews 😉**

 **💚I made some updates on**

 **~Story, Destined (** Clary and Jace meet in a club in Roma. Their connection is spontaneous, but is it going to last? Are they actually meant to even see each other again? **)**

 **~ OneShot, Forgive Me, Father, For I Have Sinned (** All is in the title ... Just give it a try, and let me know what you think **)**

 **~OneShot, The Cabin In The Wood (** Clary is the Princess of the Morgenstern's Kingdom, marrying the Prince of another kingdom. Is it going to be like any other arranged marriage where she would end up resenting her husband, or is it the beginning of a story where friendship is stronger than she ever thought... **)**

 **~Story, Second Chances (** What happens when your past comes back to you in unexpected form? What happens when you get the chance to have what you always wanted but at a terrible cost? **)**

 **~ShortStory, Twisted (** He's in love with the one girl he can't have. And he can't get her out of his head. What happens when she shows up with some unexpected news after years of absence. **)**

 **~OnsShot, Outta My Mind (** Jace is sick, and waiting for a visit from his friend, Clary ... **)**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚

 **.**

 **Chapter 10** **: Somewhere (6,0K) - Within Temptation**

 **Don't forget to check the songs 😉**

 **Jace's PoV**

After two weeks of magical bliss, came the time to go back to reality and to New York City. Of course, Clary tried to prolong their honeymoon, but Jace knew he wouldn't be able to give her the same undivided attention he had given her earlier. He had several businesses he needed to take care of and he wasn't interested in doing them over the phone. This was the one thing he knew he had before meeting Valentine and knew would never change, he liked to settle his issues in person.

Still, though she pouted a little, Clary didn't object much on them coming back on the due date, saying that she had a lot of shopping to start doing for their upcoming baby. To which, Jace honestly replied that he was glad that he had so much work to do so she couldn't drag him in every store there was. He didn't mind shopping with her once in a while, but that was because he liked spending time with Clary, out in the open.

Many people assumed that he would be like Valentine and be really private about his personal life. In fact, Jordan had even confessed to him that he thought that Jace would keep his relationship with Clary under the radar like he did when they were dating. But Jace wanted the world to know that Clary was his wife. Sure, his emotions were only for Clary to see, and no one else, but that didn't mean that he should keep her a secret. On the contrary, he wanted the world to know, so people would know better than to go after the one he loved.

Still, none of that was a problem at that present moment as their car was being pulled over in front of the mansion. Tony, one of the newest recruit, had come to pick them up from the airport and drove them back to Clary's childhood home, and when he pulled over, Jace told him to get their luggage's to the vestibule and leave them be afterwards. He knew that Valentine was not home, and he fully intended to enjoy the company of his wife to the fullest during this last couple of days alone with her.

He could tell that she was happy to be back home, just by the way her smile illuminated her eyes, but as she was about to walk in the mansion, he swept her off her feet and walked her through the thresholds, as any husband would walk his bride. She giggled, rolling her eyes but still lovingly kissing her cheek; and he did not let her down until they were in her room, his lust for her obvious in his eyes.

He could have had her as soon as they crossed the threshold, but he didn't know how long Tony would be, and he didn't want to have to wait. Moreover, he felt that their first time in their residential home should be sweet and loving, and therefore in their bed.

As he laid her on the said bed, he briefly took notice that Clary had made a few changes in it since he had last spent the night here with her. The room looked more mature and suited to a couple. There was a nightstand that was empty of decorations, waiting for him to put his stuff on it, many pictures of them were on the wall, replacing a few posters that Clary had there. In fact, any trace of Clary having grown as a young girl in this room had disappeared, it was now looking more like a young woman, letting someone else into her lair.

But he didn't really pay attention to those details, more interested in seeing the changes on Clary's body herself. They were lucky enough that the pregnancy didn't seem to affect Clary that much. She didn't have any morning sickness yet, nor any mood swings. Though it seemed that her sexual appetite, that was already strong, to begin with, had increased. But there was still some physical changes that Jace noticed, far from not appreciating them.

Though, as he had told Clary many times, he was more interested in her ass than her breast, he still liked that her boobs seemed fuller and even a tad more sensitive if her reactions were any indication. And there was also her stomach that was less toned than usual, though he highly suspected that it was due to her stopping working out as soon as she learnt that she was pregnant, rather than a pregnancy symptom yet.

With love, he kissed the woman who always made his heartbeat with life and emotion, his hands playing with her tender breast as well as with her sweet little pussy before he started trailing his way down. He had always flattered himself to know how to please a woman, whether it was with his tongue, his fingers or his cock; but he was sure that they way Clary liked it the most was with his tongue.

Over the years, she had become vocal when they were having sex, but the most vocal she'd ever been, almost to the point of losing her voice, was when he would go down on her. There was even that one time when he was pretty sure that she squirted, though he never let that moment sink since he lunged into her afterwards and rode her to another orgasm.

A part of him was tempted to play with her and to push her as much as possible. He had noticed that, though Clary liked to receive pleasure, she would always withhold at some point to give as much, turning her into something wild and demanding. But another part of him just wanted to simply make sweet love to his wife. And it was this part who won, stopping the teasing of his tongue on her most intimate part just so he could bury himself in her.

Without him having to ask, she opened her eyes, bathing him with her love, and he started his back and forth movement, grunting a little louder each time he would feel her walls clamp his cock. He never took his eyes off of her, breaking their eye contact only to kiss her in order to release her lip from her teeth. She didn't know about her father's whereabouts, and probably was doing her best to not make a noise.

"I want to hear you, babe. It's just you and I. Let me hear you scream my name as I make you come."

She meekly nodded, and he thrust into her a bit harder, ripping squeaks after squeaks from her. He loved the way her pupils were dilated, the way her hair was sparse on the bed as she started trashing beneath him, the way her body temperature was rising as her breath was becoming rarer and rarer. He ground into her, doing his best to hit that little spot that would make her open her eyes and her mouth widely with delight.

And finally, he did hit that G-spot. Clary took a sharp breath, her voice incredibly high, before she incomprehensively said, "Babe … I … _Please_."

He didn't need her to formulate proper words to know what she meant. He threw her legs above his shoulders, loving the way he felt her when he took her like that and rammed into her like a jackhammer into the ground. There was nothing sweet or loving in his thrusts, but he couldn't care less because that sweet love was in her eyes as she looked at him whilst screaming out his name, taken over by her orgasm. He took him just a minute longer to find his own release, shooting inside her again and again until he felt completely empty.

For a moment, they did not move, if not to release Clary's legs from his shoulders, and when he had regained a normal heartbeat, he turned to kiss his girl. He kissed her shoulders, her neck, her jaw, her cheeks, her lips, all the while caressing her hair until he estimated that he had been on top of her for long enough. He had always wondered how could she withhold his weight, when she was so petite, _especially_ compared to him, and yet she never seemed to mind when he was catching his breath on top of her.

When he retrieved himself from her and rolled on the side, she did not protest, and that was proof enough for him that she was knocked out, which made him smugly smirk at the redhead. He liked to think that Clary never had to fake with him, but when he had her lying unconscious next to him because he had properly fucked her, he couldn't help but feel like a caveman pounding on his chest with pride. Especially since Clary always took the time to usually use the bathroom after their love-making.

With a gentle smile, he got off the bed and threw the covers on her before grabbing his trousers and putting them on. He picked up their clothes and threw them in the laundry basket in her - _their_ \- ensuite bathroom and, after throwing cold water on his face and chest, he went to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

He was not going to lie, the idea of living under the same roof as Valentine was still something a bit strange to him, but not for the same reasons as Clary's. If it wasn't for her, he wouldn't care the least in the world if Valentine would hear them being intimate or not. In fact, if it wasn't for Clary, Jace would make sure to make her scream every single time he was with her, because her screams were such a turn on for him.

No, what worried Jace was the fact that living with both Valentine and Clary meant that he would have to let his guard down around Valentine. Sure, Valentine was one of the only people in this world he trusted with his life, but Clary was the only person he had ever trusted with his emotions. And now that Valentine was part of their home, he would have to show the older man this side of him he had protected over all those years.

Sure, he could keep on being around Valentine the way he had always been, rather cold and distant, but in the long run, Clary would be the one affected that Jace refused for her to pay for his behaviour. So he knew he would have to be more emotional demonstrative around Valentine. He had already warned Clary about it, letting her know that this was not a change that she would see in a snap, but that would come over time and she had appreciated his thoughtfulness.

There was also the issue of Bastille. Clary and he had both agreed that they would bring Bastille in the mansion because they intended on spending more time there than in their apartment. But Jace was rather anxious about the cat's upcoming relocation. Sure, Bastille would enjoy the mansion much more than the apartment, because, in addition to having much more space, the mansion had a garden. But that was the issue. The garden … what if the cat run away? Jace had never forbidden his cat to go out and about, and he wasn't comfortable doing it now, but that didn't reassure him, still.

As he was drinking his cold water, he heard a sudden noise behind him, and he swiftly grabbed one of the kitchen knives to face whoever was there. After all, Valentine would not be home until Monday, Tony knew better than to stay around and he did not recognise Clary's light footsteps.

He was faced with a trembling Tessa who was looking at the knife as if her life was about to end, and so he put the knife back in its rightful place, though he was surprised by the maid's presence. Valentine had told him that she had her weekend off. He noticed the grocery bag in her arms, and she swallowed with difficulty before letting out in a squeak,

"I'm sorry, Mr Wayland. I didn't mean to disturb you and Miss Clary now that you're back from your honeymoon. I just … made some shopping for you to enjoy over the weekend."

He nodded, not showing a single emotion and left her alone in the kitchen, glad that he had the good idea to put his trousers back one. That girl would have never taken him seriously if she had seen him in all his glory. If he was honest, he was not really comfortable at the idea of having a maid, but Tessa had been working for Valentine and Clary for years, and he had no say in the matter.

He walked out of the mansion from the back door, enjoying the summer weather as he walked to the pool, where he crouched, staring at the water. This was where it all started. This was where he had first seen Clarissa Morgenstern as more than his boss's daughter, but a fully developed young woman with a strong sex appeal. This was where he saw her with very little to cover her and thought that he would have happily pursued her if she hadn't been Valentine Morgenstern's daughter.

"You okay, hun?" Clary's sweet voice asked from behind him, as she rested her hand on his shoulder. He had the noise behind him, but Clary had become such a part of him, that his subconscious had qualified the noise as non-threatening without even alerting him.

He turned his head and smiled to his wife sitting by his side and dipping her feet in the water. She had thrown a silk red robe over her, not nothing to do anything about her hair and her face still shining with her after-sex glow. He assumed that she had stored to consciousness to use the loo, and then went looking for him when she saw him missing from their bed.

"I'm not tired, yet, babe. Unlike you, jet lag doesn't affect me much."

"I know. But as Magnus and I say, you're not human. And for your information, the sex was much more trying than the jetlag."

He smugly smirked at her, loving her for saying those words. This was the kind of ego boost every man needed to hear at least once in his life. He sat by her side, though kept his feet off the water unlike her and she rested her head on his shoulder as she said,

"It seems that Dad is not at home."

"He's spending the weekend at Alicante. He said he wanted to give us the privacy … 'newlywed couples deserved'. His words."

"In that case, maybe we should …" She trailed her sentence, though she moved so she could be straddling him and kiss his neck.

He slightly chuckled, because this was definitely proof that her sexual appetite had improved, and he gently pecked her lips before letting her know, "Tessa is in the kitchen."

The kitchen's window had a view on the swimming pool and Jace would rather not give a show t what he could do to Clary to her maid. Clary pouted, though she did not move from her position as she enunciated a truth,

"She doesn't like you."

"I know."

"Maybe you could … I don't know, show her that you're actually a nice and sweet person."

This ought to make Jace genuinely laugh. Only Clary would use those words to describe him. She waited for him to stop laughing, not even the slightest amused, and he explained,

"The only person on this planet who believed I'm a good guy, is you, babe. And that's because … I love you and I want to be sweet and nice to you. When it comes to the rest of the world, I don't care. They can perceive however they want, it won't change the way I act with them."

"You _are_ a good man, Jace."

Once again, he shook his head, mostly to replace himself from laughing again. Still, the saying 'Love makes you blind' had never had a bigger impact on him than at that moment. And so he kissed her with love, admitting,

"I'm lucky you love me."

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **Jace's PoV**

A couple of weeks after they had come back from their honeymoon, Jace found himself in the waiting room of an ob-gyn with Clary. obviously, Clary was much more comfortable there than he was, making small talk with the receptionist and laughing with her, whilst Jace just sat there, impatiently waiting for their turn to come. There was a couple of other men who looked at lost and out of place as him, sitting next to their partners who had much larger bellies than Clary's.

It was strange how, no matter how many times he had projected himself as a father in the past, he never thought of that simple thing that was going to the doctor making sure his child was alright. He had pictured countless times holding his child, playing with them, doing mundane things with them, and even seeing them come into this world, but the almost mandatory visits to the doctor whilst the child was growing inside of his wife never crossed his mind.

Finally, the doctor called their name, and they went into the other room, sitting at the desk. Jace mostly followed Clary's lead and made a mental note to himself to ask Clary more about it later on. They were bound to come back here for this child and their future ones, and he hated feeling out of place.

Dr Taylor asked them several questions, mostly concerning their families medical issues, and as Clary was going first, Jace realised with annoyance that he would have to contact his parents to know all those little things that Clary seemed to know about her own family. After all, he had always been rather healthy, and only ever ended in a hospital when he needed stitching up, and that was when it was last resorts. He didn't even know his blood types.

Surprisingly, after she finished with her family medical history, Clary went on and gave his, letting the good doctor know of the few allergies that had been running in his families that he was not aware of, as well as a couple of cardiovascular issues that had apparently affected his maternal grandparents.

The doctor wrote everything down, before saying that we should get to the next room for an ultrasound. He went to the other room, expecting them to follow him, and Clary took Jace's hand in his as she explained,

"I called your Mom a couple of days ago because I figured you'd rather not. She was more than happy to tell me all about your medical history."

"Thank you, babe."

She smiled, quite proud of her thoughtfulness, and she undresses, only keeping her bra and stocking on. As they walked to the next room, Dr Taylor, unfazed, asked Jace to close the door behind him as Clary climbed on the table; and as he did so, Jace had this weird feeling inside of him.

He had come to terms with the fact that he was a jealous man and that he liked to be the only one to see Clary in a certain way, so he had expected to be annoyed that their first ultrasound would not be one where _his_ wife could stay mostly closed. But he felt nothing as the doctor put on his gloves and asked Clary to spread her legs.

Maybe it was because Clary had warned him that this would happen, or maybe it was because the man was old enough to be more than his father. Or maybe it was simply the fact that he knew the doctor was just doing his job and didn't see Clary as anything more than a patient. All he knew was he had expected to be jealous and to clench his jaw, but nothing of the set happened.

Jace sat on the chair next to the table and Clary took his hand as they looked at the screen, listening carefully to what the doctor explained to them. And finally, they saw, lost amongst all this grey, a little dot.

"This little patch here, is you're baby. It's fourteen weeks old, roughly the size of a peach. In a month or so, we should be able to determine the gender. Do you want a picture?"

Clary nodded for the both of them, Jace being unable to tear his eyes away from the screen. He squeezed his wife's hand in his, his focus slipping from what the doctor was saying to that tiny little peach on the screen. And just when he thought his day couldn't get any better, the doctor pushed a button, and the world stopped to spin. All he heard was a wet and rapid thumping noise, making him finally look away from the screen to look at his wife, his vision getting slightly blurry.

She smiled to him, her lips slightly moving, though he was too ecstatic to hear what she said, and after a few more seconds, the most beautiful sound in the world was gone. He swallowed with difficulty, feeling rather than seeing that the doctor had left them alone once again, and Clary cupped his face, wiping the tear that had rolled down his cheek before lovingly kissing him.

"I wanted to share that moment with you. He proposed to me to listen to the heartbeat before the wedding, but I wanted you to be with me for that. And I'm so happy you appreciate it so much."

He tried to thank her, but his throat was still tight, so he just kissed her. Though what he had meant as a chaste kiss quickly grew into something more savage and passionate. He crushed her against him, only wanting to bury himself inside of her when she was making so happy, barely wearing anything. It took all his willpower to step back and break their kiss.

Without a word, he went back to the doctor's cabinet only to get Clary's dress, and for a moment, he was tempted to bribe the doctor to give him fifteen minutes with his wife … or even five, given how excited he was. Dr Taylor turned a knowing head to him but did not move a muscle as if to tell Jace that whatever happened in that room, he would not move from his desk.

With a little sigh of resignation, Jace gave back her dress to Clary, and she told him with excitement as she put it back on,

"We have a healthy baby on the way."

He smiled to her, still at loss for words, and kissed her with restraint, but love.

"I love you, babe. I have no other words. I love you," He knelt down and kissed her stomach whispering to their unborn child, "And I love you too."

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **Jace's PoV**

A few days after Clary invited Jordan and Maia to their house, mostly because she felt that Jace did not spend enough time with his Godson, Brian. She had proposed for them to babysit the kid for the weekend, which was clearly appreciated by the couple. She was going over the dinner plans with Tessa, when Valentine got home, brightly smiling to his daughter.

If there was one person who was probably as happy as the couple about their upcoming child, it was Valentine. He could not stop talking about his excitement to meet his first grandchild and though Jace said nothing, he realised how much Valentine was relying more and more on him, barely intervening in some cases, where he would have given his input a few years ago.

It was clear to Jace that Valentine was planning on retiring early to appreciate his grandchildren in a way he hadn't had with his own children. He had asked Clary how her father had raised her, how present he was, what she would like to change for their own children, and no matter how much Valentine loved his children, he had missed several key moments that Jace would make sure he wouldn't miss.

Which was why he had had a conversation with Jordan the day that followed his return from his honeymoon and explained to the man that he expected of him to be at the same level as him. They would each train someone to be their second, but there wouldn't really a Boss, more like a unity.

Of course, Jordan had to make a big deal out of it, claiming that this was the best proof of trust Jace could have ever gotten him and that he would be proud to be his brother in arm, the person he trusted most to make their little organisation prosper by his side.

"Oh, Dad, good you're here. I wanted to ask you about something."

"I'm all ears sweetheart."

"I wanted to know if you could go to the Alicante for a couple of weeks. I want to change a few things around the house, and it would be easier if none of us is here," Clary explained as Valentine washed his hands.

Jace carefully watched his mentor glance in his direction, probably wondering if the idea came from him before he granted Clary her wish. She had been talking to him about wanting to change a few things in the mansion before the baby would arrive, and Jace simply let her do her thing, just like he did back in the days when she started decorating his apartment. As long as he had a bed to sleep in, and a fridge with food in it, Jace was not picky.

He half-listened to Valentine and Clary discuss where she was planning to put the nursery, along with other rearrangements, and easily got distracted when he saw Bastille jump on something in the garden. He watched the cat fight something for a little while, before the feline proudly looked up, obviously having killed whatever small animal that had dared come across Bastille's territory.

He got up and went to the garden, mostly to make sure that the cat wouldn't bring its game inside to eat it because he knew how much it grossed Clary out. Bastille showed a dead bird to Jace and purred when Jace petted his head to congratulate him, glad that Clary was inside. It was just a small bird, Jace actual doubted the frail thing could fly, and Clary would definitely be upset by the natural circle of life.

He looked around, trying to spot the nest in the dark as his mind wandered to the easiness with which Valentine and he had gotten used to one another. None of them ever mentioned the couple very active (and not so discreet) sexual life. Jace didn't care much, because he had married the girl, and both of them being in their prime, it was expected of them. Moreover, the male in him like that Clary had very little control when it came to her libido, and that she often forgot to be quiet.

Not that it mattered. The mansion was humongous, and Clary's room was literally at the opposite of Valentine's. She could scream at the top her lungs, but Jace doubted Valentine could hear them. Of course, Clary was convinced of the opposite, and that what was making it fun for him. He loved how she always tried to bite her tongue, he loved watching her trying to keep quiet, and ultimately fail when he would rotate his hips a certain way, or touch her at a certain spot.

"You still have a lot to learn to surprise me like that, Jordan," He suddenly said with a smirk, not even bothering to turn around to see the dark-skinned man tiptoe his way to him.

It always amused to see that Jordan kept on trying to sneak up on him when he knew where he was coming from. After all, Jace came from the gutter and learnt to still from a young age. He was still a teenager that he could pass through most security systems. In fact, he had always been tempted to dance with danger and try to sneak in the White House. But now that he was married, expecting a kid, this was a question that he would never be answered.

"You know, Jace, sometimes, you could try to humour people, and pretend that we manage to surprise you," Jordan moodily said, coming to stand next to Jace, only to see Bastille happily devour his prey.

He made a face of disgust, which made Jace roll his eyes. He couldn't understand why people were so grossed out at this natural thing. Especially people like Jordan who had already seen their fair share of blood.

"Anyway, I've heard you had your first visit."

"I had."

"In that case, my gift is not irrelevant," Jordan said, giving Jace a long box. The blond man frowned, hoping that it wasn't one of Jordan's prank, nor a tie, given the shape of the box.

He took the gift, and opened the box, only to find a stethoscope in it. He rose his eyebrow at his friend, not seeing the correlation, and Jordan explained,

"So you can listen to your kid. I know how it feels to hear the first heartbeat, and we're not like them. They will get to experience things we will never have. But at least, now you don't have to wait to go to the doctor to hear your kid."

Jace genuinely smiled, surprised that he did not think of this solution himself. Ever since they had heard the heartbeat, he had been obsessed with Clary getting further in her pregnancy so they could go to the doctor again. He even had the little picture the doctor gave them in his wallet, next to the one he had of Clary, always with him. She called him a sweet romantic to do so, and of course, he shook his head at her, because once again, those were things he only did for her.

"Thanks, man. I appreciate the thought," Jace said, his voice as neutral as usual.

The two of them walked back inside, avoiding talking about business. This was a rule that Jace had imposed on anyone coming to the mansion. Business talks were for the gate, or the office, nowhere else. And he knew that Clary appreciated that. She did stay with him in the office a couple of times when Jordan and he had been talking about different strategies, but that was all on her.

As they walked into the dining room, he saw with no surprise that little Brian was in Clary's arms, telling her a story about this friend he made in the playground. Though he was Jace's Godson, Brian _adored_ Clary. He liked Jace and played with him, but if there was a choice between the blond and the redhead, Clary would always win.

"So, did you start thinking of names?" Valentine asked, more for Jace than for Clary since she was still listening to little Brian's story.

Still, Jace saw how she briefly tensed, glancing in his his direction before refocusing her attention on the child. They had not talked about that Jonathan issue since their honeymoon, and no matter how much he knew she was dying to know what happened to her brother, Jace simply refused to tell her. It wasn't much that he wanted to preserve the way she perceived her brother, but more that she was trying to protect her relationship with her father.

He was sure that she would forgive her father, especially if she knew what Jonathan had been trying to do, but it would put a string on their relationship, and Jace knew Clary loved her father too much to put herself trough that if she had a choice.

"I just want to put out there that Jordan goes both for male or female," Jordan teasingly said, making Jace roll his eyes, though he was surprised when Clary added,

"So does Valentine."

"Don't do that. Sharing a name is so much weight on such little shoulders. Especially since my grandkid is already going to be a Morgenstern. Don't curse the child, sweetheart," Valentine argued, clearly not wanting his name to be passed on this way.

"You know, all that matters is that the kid inherits Clary's sense of humour, because I just can't picture Jace's smile on a child's face … or on his face," Jordan joked, making everyone laugh including little Brian who didn't want to be the only not laughing around the table.

Jace rolled his eyes, untouched by the jab, and the conversation kept on going as they ate, many jokes aimed at him and his 'inability to show empathy'. This was their dinner parties usually went, whether it was Jordan, Kaelie or Magnus, they would make sure to always make a joke about Jace and his usual stoic facade, probably to diffuse the atmosphere, especially when Isabelle and Simon were involved.

Though he had always been polite with Clary's friend, Jace had never really connected with her or even tried, and even if Clary never said a word about it, he was sure that the brunette did make a few remarks about it. He knew that she would never try to break them apart, but she was probably baffled by the fact that he always remained so impassible.

At some point, Maia directed the conversation toward another topic than him, though Jace would have rather have Jordan picking on him than talking about that other person. The thing was, Clary had been supposed to go to India shortly after their honeymoon to see how the school she was building was going. It wasn't really the issue. The issue was _James_.

James was Clary's latest friend, and Jace simply didn't like him. Even though James had always been a gentleman, and never made a move on Clary, Jace didn't like him. He was too … touchy, too bubbly, too in touch with Clary and her charities. Before he left for India, Jace often found the young man in his apartment with Clary planning their perfect charity. In fact, more than once James showed up unaccounted and Jace had to suffer him through dinner.

And though he knew his jealousy of James was irrational, that Clary loved him and would never cheat on him, he still despised the guy. But he took it on himself because none of them had ever done anything to warrant this jealousy. He trusted Clary, and his feelings regarding another person would change that trust.

He trusted her with his heart and knew she wouldn't deceive him.

In the middle of dessert, after Brian had been put to sleep in one of the guest rooms, Tessa came to shyly announce that there was someone at the gate asking for Jace. With a kiss on his wife's lips, he got up and checked on the intercom who it was before he went back to the party and explained that he had to go.

Valentine and Jordan were unfazed, though Jordan asked if he needed him. He went to his room to take his gun and was unsurprised when he saw Clary by the door. She looked at him, expecting an answer, because he had never bailed when she had friends coming over, and always waited for them to leave.

"I can't postpone this babe. I have to go."

"Where?"

"Deal with some punk."

"With _Aline_?" Jace looked at her with surprise, because he hadn't told anyone who was at the gate, and she explained, crossing her arms over her chest, "I asked Tessa who was at the gate and she said it was an Asian brunette."

Jace smiled with love at his wife and took her in his arms, giving her a comforting hug before kissing her lips and leaving with those words, "I don't you don't like Aline, babe, but as I told you before, she doesn't matter. It's me you should trust."

.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚 **Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed** 💚

 **BTW, where are you guys from, I am curious? I am currently living in the everso rainy UK**

 **.**

 **💚 See? I didn't kill Bastille, just a little innocent baby bird that should have learned to fly quicker, haha. And there is no cliff! And it was Jace's POV. I have been very nice for those past couples of updates.**

💚 **So, what did you think? I think I can honestly say this is the cutest thing I have ever written! I am surprised at myself. Promise, I'm killing someone next chapter. How about Bastille?**

 **💚Concerning the last chapter, I didn't want to go full-on wedding, but I still wanted to include a few scenes. Also, it was just plain sweet, because well ... they were on their honeymoon, there is literally a word for it! Haha. And sometimes, the sweetness can be nice ... sometimes.**

💚 **And, I will put Clary's dress on Pinterest, because it is a masterpiece. Whatever you pictured, double that, Clary always said she would not go little for her wedding!**

💚 **And don't forget to check out my books on Amazon and to leave me your thoughts there and on Goodreads... ^^**

💚 **And what's was your favourite part? I'm always curious about that. Mine was between Tessa being scared out of her life, and the heartbeat ...**

 **Anyway, Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚


	12. 11: Everytime

**My dear little broccolis** 💚💚💚

💚 **So, this is an update that needs reminding that the story is rated M, and not just for the lemons.**

 **💚I made some updates on**

 **~Story, Destined (** Clary and Jace meet in a club in Roma. Their connection is spontaneous, but is it going to last? Are they actually meant to even see each other again? **)**

 **~Story, Behind The Curtains (** Clary Fray is the lead singer of an internationally famous rock band, the Mortal Instruments. She is known by the tabloids to be a very carefree and fun-loving girl. She's the perfect bad girl the media wants her to be. But now, is she going to keep living this way, or will a certain actor will change her mind? **) NEW CHAP**

 **~Story, Mistakes (** Where is the line between good and bad? When do we stop being true to ourselves? Can one little bad judgement call make you feel less about yourself and turn your life upside down? Well, Clary is about to figure it out and learn the hard lessons of life, lust and love. **) NEW CHAP**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚

 **.**

 **Chapter 11** **: Everytime (3,5K) - Britney Spears**

 **Don't forget to check the songs 😉**

 **Clary's PoV**

Clary briefly glanced at her husband as the doctor announced them that she was a baby boy. She saw how his smile widened vine more, before she looked at the screen, trying to see herself how the good doctor could tell that her baby was a boy.

Once again, the ob-gyn left them alone for a time, saying that he would print pictures of the ultrasound for them, and after she wiped the gel off her stomach, Jace placed his hand on it, kissing her with love. Though she could feel the baby moving inside of her, Jace hadn't had the pleasure yet, and she knew he was yearning for the sensation.

"Happy?" She asked him, with a bit of play in her tone, and he rolled his eyes at her.

"I think that's an understatement."

"I mean, happy that it's a boy."

"I wouldn't have minded either way, babe. But I guess I _am_ indeed glad that we're getting a son first."

"I'm still going to take him to Broadway, and he better know the lyrics."

"ii wasn't expecting any less from you."

She smiled and kissed him again, loving the way Jace managed to make her feel. It was something that she had confessed to both Izzy and Kaelie when she started going further in her pregnancy, she was concerned that as soon as she would be pregnant, Jace would only see her as such. _A baby maker_. She had a couple of acquaintances who had gone through that, and given Jace's passion for becoming a father, she had been afraid of that possibility.

But Jace's touch and love never changed since she got pregnant. Sure, he was definitely more in control during their lovemaking, and she was pretty sure that as long as she would be pregnant, she could forget about the rougher side of their sex life. But that sweet Jace she fell in love with had been present all the way. He obviously loved the idea of becoming a father, and never shied away from showing it to her, but it had never been to the extent of his love for her.

After their doctor appointment, Jace insisted on dropping her off to the restaurant where she was meeting her friends, under the pretext to spend a bit more time with her. But she knew that Dr Taylor had him worried, just as much as her. He was concerned about her placenta and had scheduled more visits for her. And though she did not have a mother to compare the experience with, she knew from Izzy's pregnancy that those extra appointments meant that her pregnancy was not as easy as she thought it would be.

Because she had had such a wonderful first trimester with barely any inconvenience of pregnancy, Clary had hoped that her first miscarriage had just been bad luck. But it seemed that the doctor was not agreeing with that. She still hadn't told Jace about the miscarriage, and therefore it was complicated to ask the doctor if her chances were high. No matter how busy he was, no matter where he was, Jace always made sure to be with her at each of her visits to the doctor.

She didn't know why she wouldn't tell Jace. Especially when Father Crowley had made it his leitmotiv to get her to tell her husband. He even subtly included it in one of his Sunday sermons. She just … didn't want to bring bad memories, for him or for her. It had been a painful time in her life, and she was so grateful that Kaelie had been there for her, but she couldn't imagine what Jace would do.

He didn't like talking about their breakup, and especially what happened in that period of time. Sure they had a heart to heart conversation, where they honestly told each other how they tried to move on from the other, but he always did his best to avoid the topic afterwards. It was something painful to him, and a couple of times, Clary had been tempted to talk to her father about it.

After all, Valentine Morgenstern still loved her mother, almost twenty years after her death, and more than once, Clary found herself comparing Jace to her father when it came to love. Especially when Maryse would tell her how Valentine used to be with Jocelyn. She wanted to ask her father why he never remarried, or even tried to simply find another girl, but … it was a difficult topic and she didn't want to upset her father.

So, she kept for herself the loss of Jace's and her first baby, feeling in a way that this burden was a punishment for her breaking up with a man who clumsily loved her. It wasn't like they could change anything now anyway, especially since they had a future to look forward to.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **Clary's PoV**

With pride, Clary watched the nursery thatch had just finished decorating, and she happily smiled seeing it as she had pictured it. It was the one room that she had insisted on doing herself when she redecorated the whole house because she wanted to be a good and capable mother from the start. This was something that Jace handsome problems coming around, and he would often call her on that, saying that she wasn't defined by her new status of new mother, but just as herself, but no matter how many arguments he would bring to the table, Clary was still set on being the best mother there could be so she could be the best version of herself.

Moreover, she was sure that he would change his narrative once the baby would be born. Just like she had insisted on doing the room herself, Jace had insisted on building the pieces of furniture with her. The two of them actually had a lot of fun together in this very room, though Jace always made a point to keep the heat to their room, next door. The nursery had two doors, one leading to the rest of the house, and once connecting it to their own bedroom, so she could be close to their child. She figured that as long as their son would be a toddler, he would sleep in there, and afterwards, he would have his own room separated from theirs.

For a while, she pondered in giving to their first child Jon's room, but she felt that, even though he did not know which room it was, Jace would not appreciate having his child in her late brother's room. In fact, she had tried a few more times to put Jon, and different variants of the name back on the table, but Jace kept stubbornly refusing to call their son Jon, or anything resembling it.

She sighed and closed the door of the nursery, excited that in a few months time she would get to put her baby to sleep in it, and she went to Jon's old room, where there were so many papers piled up for redistribution. During the whole redecoration of the house, she had stored any sort of important papers there, because she knew she was going to change his room into her own office. After all, even after she would have given birth, she still wanted to her with her charities, and she wanted a place where she could discuss matters with anyone involved.

She sat on the floor, mostly because she oddly found it more and more comfortable as she was getting bigger and bigger, despite the fact that it was getting harder and harder to get up; and she started organising her papers. She had been at it for a good hour when she stumbled upon a box that was not named after her. She hesitated for a moment, because, even though he was dead, it was still violating his privacy, but nostalgia got the better of her.

She opened the box and smiled when the first thing she found was a picture of herself alongside the three Lightwood children. The picture had been taken during one of their Spring breaks, shortly after Jon's disappearance. They had gone to Mexico, and she had convinced them to visit one of the ancient pyramids. She smiled with nostalgia and took the picture out of the box, to make sure she could frame it later and put it in the library.

She snooped in the box, hoping to find more lost pictures when her eyes caught a glimpse of a medical stamp, which made her frown. As far as she recalled, Hodge had always been as healthy as a horse. She took the paper out, and as she read it, she could feel colours escaping her face.

No matter what might have happened, her Godfather would have died. She had forgiven Jace a long time ago for his death, she would have never agreed to marry him otherwise, but now, she felt that it was never something for her to forgive. She remembered that Hodge had always been a proud man and that dying from a disease eating him from the inside would have been something extremely humiliating for him. So, what if, Jace had pulled the trigger on her Godfather as an act of mercy?

She numbly closed the box, and stared at her phone, debating if she should call her husband now to confront him about it. She knew that, no matter what, he wouldn't lie to her. But Jace was a master at eluding questions, and she had learnt to read his facial expressions when he did so. If she talked to him over the phone, she wouldn't be able to tell.

So she simply put the box away and went to the dining room to join her father for dinner. Jace was away for the weekend, settling some affairs in Columbia, which made him already pissed enough. He hadn't been supposed to go but had to last second, because there was no one he trusted available to do so.

She ate with her father, who was still over the moon about his upcoming grandchild. If Jace and she made the nursery, Valentine was the one who filled it. There was not a single day when he did not come back home with something new for the kid. And ever since he learnt that she was expecting a boy, a week ago, he had targeted his purchases even more. And Clary was far from complaining, she had been spoiled by her grandparents growing up, and she didn't expect any less from her father for her own children.

It was only in the middle of dessert that Clary found herself questioning her father about his life, even though she had never done it before. She wasn't sure why she did it, maybe it was her hormones, or maybe it was because, though they never said it out loud, the fact that she had married Jace had made them acknowledge that they were both very well aware of what Valentine did in the dead of the night. Still, she asked,

"Dad? Do you remember when I asked you if you knew who killed Uncle Hodge?"

Valentine carefully put down his spoon, dismissing Tessa and her coffee without even looking at her. His eyes were solely on his daughter, assessing her face as his own body language recoiled. After all, though they never discussed it, they both knew that she knew exactly who was responsible behind the death of her Godfather

"Yes?"

"Do you know _why_ he was killed?"

"Where is this coming from?"

Biting down on her lips, Clary took the paper out of her pocket and slipped it in direction of her father. He did not take as she had expected him to, simply looking at it before bringing his eyes back to her, and s she explained her thoughts,

"When I asked you, you said that his death was what was best for everyone, including him. And … well …"

"You were not meant to see that, sweetheart," Valentine finally spoke, love in his voice, though Clary was sure that she could hear concern as well. He reached for her hand, squeezing it a little as he added, "Yes, Hodge knew he was sick, and he did what he did for his own reasons. Don't let that piece of paper change the way you see him."

Those were almost words for words what Jace had told her when she had confronted him about him killing her Godfather. He had said that she shouldn't let his actions and his feelings toward the man, change the way she felt about the deceased.

"So Jace knew all along," She let out in a whisper, more to herself than for her father. He scoffed,

"I sincerely doubt that."

She turned her head to her father, surprised that he would be so sure of himself, and he explained, "Jace is … not someone who believes in mercy, or pity. His reasons were … justified, in his eyes. And Hodge did everything to lead Jace on the path he is now."

"Did he set Jace up for him to kill him?! Why would he do that?"

"Because he wanted a clean death and I wanted someone I could trust."

Clary shook her head looking down on her knees. They had gone further than ever in this conversation and she did not like it one bit. She wished she had never found this cursed piece of paper.

"Dad … you can't talk about trust when your whole relationship with Jace is based on a lie."

"I have never lied to Jace. I just … omitted to reveal certain facts that I was aware of. If he is to come and ask me, I will tell him, but as long as he doesn't ask …"

"But Dad, Jace … he doesn't react well to people going behind his back."

"Believe me, I know, sweetheart. And I will never ask you to lie to your husband. What you want to tell him is up to you. Whatever Jace has coming my way, I am prepared."

Clary looked at the paper, feeling a sudden sense of relief for not having called Jace earlier. This was not something she wanted to share with Jace. Not much for her late Godfather's sake, but because she knew Jace could hold a grudge. If he learnt that his whole relationship with Valentine was but on a setup, he might severe all ties with the man, and she would be caught in the middle.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **Clary's PoV**

Two nights after her discovery, Clary was peacefully sleeping in her room, when she heard Jace coming home. She briefly checked the time, seeing that it was late in the night, or early in the morning, and went back to sleep, knowing that Jace would not be in bed for a while since he always took a shower before joining her.

This was one of the side effects of her pregnancy, she had a much lighter sleep than she used to. She blamed it all on the baby who always waited for her to lay down to start dancing the tango in her belly, making it more difficult for her to have peaceful nights. Though it was the only real downside of her pregnancy. Maryse had bought her one of those long pillows, and she had to admit that it strangely did help, though her son still partied every night as if her womb was a club.

"Oh, _shit_!" Jace suddenly exclaimed, tearing her out of her slumber, and she promptly switched on the light of her nightstand.

He was in bed, next to her and holding her, but she was stunned by his swearing. She had heard Jace swear many times, but he usually refrained from doing so in her presence. The only times he swore at her were that one time when he had been very angry at her fro inviting his parents without telling her, and when they would get rough in bed.

So there was no reason for Jace to swear, or even to wake her up like that in the middle of the night. Especially not with that happy and giddy face. His eyes were looking at her, sparkling with wonder and anticipation, and before she could ask what was wrong, he said with glee,

 _"The baby kicked!_ "

She rolled her eyes, half of her brain still foggy with sleep, and she reached to switch off the light as she told him with a blasé tone,

"Yeah, I know. He loves to dance the samba when I want to sleep."

"No. I _felt_ him kick."

"Oh!"

Finally, she caught up with his happiness, only registering now that his hand had never left her stomach ever since she woke up. The two of them looked down, hoping to have another sign of life, but it seemed that they had a shy boy who did not like being in the spotlight.

Clary returned her attention to her husband, noticing how obviously tired he was, and as he kept on smiling to her, she suddenly felt overwhelmed by his love. Without much of a warning, she straddled him and passionately kiss him. He eagerly reciprocated, losing his hand in her hair. Her hand went between them, to see if he was as ready as she was, and when she felt that he was, she impaled herself on him, wincing a little when he struggled a little to get in.

Their love making was fast, though passionate, with the only words uttered being how much they loved each other. As they tried to recover their breath, Clary kissed her husband before turning so she could collapse back on the bed. Jace laid beside her, a lazy smile on his lips as his fingers caressed her skin.

"I love coming back from a business trip."

"I love when you come back, period."

He chuckled, shaking his head before pecking her lips, "Babe, you'll have to put that to the past. I've always come back since."

"I know, but still."

She closed her eyes, appreciating the touch of his fingers on her sensitive skin ad as she started drifting back to sleep, she asked,

"You know how you want me to trust you to know best if I want to know something or not. I was wondering if that was going both ways?"

"Why? What don't you want to tell me?"

She kept her eyes closed, because she knew he was looking at her, and she felt that she would probably give in if she met his eyes. But she didn't want to severe the bond between her father and Jace, and there was no reasons why Jace should know in the first place.

"I could tell you, but I don't think it's necessary. So I'm hoping you will trust me enough to let it go, and not be mad at me if you find out somehow."

For the longest time, Jace remained silent, until she had no other choice than to open her eyes and meet his golden orbs. He searched her soul, making her feel like she was on trial for every little thing she had ever done wrong in her life, and finally he said,

"Are you _sure_ I don't need to know?"

"Positive. I would tell you otherwise."

"Then, of course I trust you."

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **Clary's PoV**

The next day, she went out shopping with Maryse and Izzy, the two of them getting quite excited about throwing her a baby shower. In all honesty, though Clary had always loved receiving gifts, she wasn't so sure about a baby shower. She didn't really like the idea of excluding half of her friends because they were guys.

All throughout lunch, Maryse planned the perfect shower, with a theme she was sure Clary would love, but Clary was only half paying attention. She was tired, because she hadn't been able to go to sleep after Jace had come home, their son having decided to party when Jace had fallen asleep. And has had a stomachache all morning.

"Are you alright, Clary? You look very pale," Maryse asked her, looking at her with worry and reaching to touch her forehead like she had done all her life.

"I think I'm just going to go home and rest a bit. I didn't get much sleep last night."

"You don't look so well. Let me drive you home. Have you eaten or drunk something unusual?"

"No. I'm just … tired?"

She wasn't sure herself. They left the restaurant, Clary worriedly wondering to herself if she shouldn't go to the doctor instead of home, especially when her stomach pains started being stronger, and as she opened the door of the mall, she bumped into a man, making her lose her balance. The last thing she heard was the man apologising as he reached for her and she fell into oblivion.

.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚 **Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed** 💚

 **‼️BTW, I might put this story on hold for a little while, just giving you a heads up. I have a lot on my hands, and people are losing interests, so, ii need to focus on what's important first. ‼️**

 **.**

 **💚 So ... Maybe it will go where you think it's going, maybe not, you shall see.**

💚 **What did you think? They are expecting a baby boy ...**

💚 **And, Clay and her dad had a rather open conversation about his dirty life ... What do you think of her decision to keep it from Jace?**

💚 **And don't forget to check out my books on Amazon and to leave me your thoughts there and on Goodreads... ^^**

💚 **And what's was your favourite part? I'm always curious about that. Mine was the oh Shit, haha**

 **Anyway, Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚


	13. 12: Like You

**My dear little broccolis** 💚💚💚

💚 **So, this is an update that needs reminding that the story is rated M, and not just for the lemons. As I said before, this story has dark themes, and it not my intentions to hurt anyone's feelings. I know that some of you may take this personally because of experience, and I have no wish to remind people of bad memories. So, this is just a fair warning for you to beware.**

 **💚I started a new story as well, which I am quite excited about. It's going to be a short story, but quite intense and rather cute, especially compared to the dark angsty material I usually. Go check it out and leave a review with your thoughts, I'm sure you will like it, anyway.**

 **~Story, Give Me The Daddy, I'll Give You The Sugar (** Twenty-five years old Clary has had a hard life and is, now, struggling between two jobs to pay for her studies. She's through with people, having been left down one too many times. But what happens when a certain man finds interest in her? **) (BTW, there is no kinky Daddy talk in this story, at all)**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚

 **.**

 **Chapter 12** **: Like You (7,0K) - Evanescence**

 **Don't forget to check the songs 😉**

 **Clary's PoV**

When Clary regained consciousness, she was in a hospital, and even before opening her eyes, she knew what was wrong with her. She sat up, feeling her sorrow come over her like the tide over the shore, and when she instinctively brought her hand to her rounded belly, she burst into tears.

 _She would never get to hold her baby_.

It seemed that she was on her own forever, crying the loss of her child before anyone could even confirm the news to her. She wished she hadn't so easily dismissed her dizziness in the morning She wondered if this could have saved her baby before it was too late.

With a sob, she looked around, seeing nothing but the white, aseptic walls of the hospital. She wished there was someone by her side, so she wouldn't be alone, but she guessed that Maryse and Izzy were probably not allowed by her bed since they were not immediate family. Her father had left for Mexico a couple of days ago, and Jace had told her that morning that he would be busy all day long.

As the tears kept on silently rolling on her cheeks, she took notice of the spaciousness of the room, giving her the certainty that she was in a private room. She hoped that the hospital would be lenient and let her leave this cursed place soon. She had no intention of staying here, and she only longed to be back in her home, where she would be able to find comfort in the comforting embrace of her husband.

Salty pearls kept escaping her eyes when a doctor finally came in, and though she knew nothing was his fault, she hated him as soon as she saw him. He had the fake empathy displayed on his face that doctors developed over the years after witnessing too much sadness and loss, and she wanted none of it. All she wanted was to be home, in her bed, with no one but Jace and his soothing words.

As she thought of that, before the doctor could even say a word, she let out a choking sob, realising that Jace would be even more devastated than her. She had already experienced the sorrow of losing a child, he hadn't; and he had wanted to be a father for so long. No one had been happier than him to learn that she was pregnant. She had seen first hand how he would sometimes smile at her in a way he had never before because it was the father in him smiling to the mother in her.

 _And now, he was no longer a father to be_.

"Mrs Morgenstern, your husband is outside. Should I bring him in?"

She eagerly nodded, a part of her more surprised by the fact that Jace had not forgone the doctor's orders to already be by her side, than by the fact that he was already here. She watched the doctor open the door to let her husband in, and as soon as he was in that ghastly white room, he walked over to her, his golden eyes full of hurt, compassion and sorrow.

She quickly wiped her tears, Jace's presence making her feel slightly better, and the good doctor started explaining the cause of her miscarriage. Her fall had nothing to do with her baby's death, Dr Singh reckoned that her pains of the morning were symptoms that the baby was dead already. He explained that she suffered from a placental abruption and that no matter however hard it was for them to lose a child so far along in their pregnancy, they shouldn't despair since there were no sequelae left in her uterus.

And then, the doctor said something that changed the atmosphere in the room. Though Jace hadn't said a word, nor moved a muscle, he just simply remained, standing by her side and listening to anything Dr Singh said. But Clary knew that he and she were sharing their loss together. But when the medicine man opened his mouth again, a sudden inexplicable coldness wrapped around Clary. She glanced at Jace who was still listening to the doctor, but she knew there was something about him that had changed.

"However, I think you should make that your next pregnancy is closely followed. I would recommend seeing your ob-gyn as often as possible and reduce to the maximum any foods and activities that could endanger that next pregnancy. I am not saying that to alarm you, but someone as young and healthy as you shouldn't have had two consecutive miscarriages like that.

Though I said there were no sequelae, it does leave bruises on your uterus, and your heart. The more you miscarry, the more you think about it, the more you are prone to miscarry. If we could avoid a third one, it would be better for everyone."

Clary nodded, tears streaming down her face again. She felt useless. Women had been bearing children for millions of years, and she was the only one who couldn't do that one simple thing. She had always wanted to be a mom, fantasising about how she would give the best of herself to her children, how she would give all her love, and now, she was denied that simple thing. Childbirth was the one thing that had defined women for millenniums, and she couldn't even do it. If she had been born not even a century earlier, she would have been shunned by society's standards.

She didn't even realise that the doctor was gone, coming back to reality when Jace moved to sit in a chair by the side of her bed. She watched with shock as her husband put an obvious distance between them instead of giving her that loving and comforting embrace she longed for.

"Jace?" She hiccuped, though it did not earn the response she had been hoping for.

Jace turned his head to her, his eyes never meeting hers as he waited for her to say something, and for the first time in their relationship, for the first time since their first getaway to Japan, Clary felt like a nobody in Jace's eyes. He was giving her as much attention as he gave a random person. She felt like she meant nothing to him.

Her sobs grew louder, but she was interrupted from saying anything by Maryse and Izzy rushing into the room, worried out of their minds. Maryse rushed to her bed and did what Jace should have done, she gave her the comforting hug she needed, so she would know she was not alone.

"Sweetie, everything is going to be okay. It happens," she reassured the young redhead, kissing her forehead in gathering her in a motherly embrace. Clary shook her head in denial, crying her heart out in Maryse's arms. She wasn't only crying the loss of her child, she was crying because of the coldness the man she loved had towards her.

"You will have your beautiful children that I will get to spoil. Miscarriages mean nothing. I had one before each of my kids, and yet, here they are, bugging me for the most ridiculous things."

Clary smiled at the attempt her Godmother had to lighten the mood, though she was surprised by this confession. She never knew that Maryse had struggled to have children like she was at the moment. She glanced at her best friend who seemed as surprised as her at this new piece of information.

"We should get going. Kaelie is here, and they won't allow too many visitors at a time," Maryse explained, hugging Clary once again, and as she did so, Clary saw how Izzy was frowning at the distance between Jace and her. After all, more than once had she assured her best friend that Jace loved her beyond words and that he was different behind closed doors, and yet, in this moment when she needed him the most, he was being distant.

When Maryse and Izzy opened the door to leave, Jace finally opened his mouth for the first time since he got in the room, "Could you describe him to me?"

Maryse paused for a moment, looking on the floor, her eyes lost in a memory before she looked straight in Jace's eyes, and told him, "I could, but what's the point? Going down that road won't bring you your child."

He did not say a word, nor even moved a muscle to acknowledge her answer, and Clary couldn't shake this horrible feeling that she understood a bit too well what Jace wanted to do. But she clung to the hope that her godmother's words would be enough to keep her husband steady.

Kaelie came into the room with a box of chocolate, and sat on the edge of Clary's bed, after giving her a big hug. As she opened the chocolates more to occupy her hands than because she wanted to, she saw from the corner of her eyes how Kaelie was obviously having a silent conversation with Jace through their eyes. But when Jace glared at her with a look that could kill, Kaelie got up so she could sit on the other side of the bed, and turn her back to Jace with ostentation.

Then, she looked at Clary with compassion and told her, with a friendly but timid smile, "I bought that box because some of them have liquor on it."

Clary gave her back her smile, liking that Kaelie's words weren't full of painful hope and bullshit. She was just trying to make her see the upside of that terrible situation. And moreover, though Clary didn't say a word, the fact that she had obviously picked her side in whatever feud she had just had with Jace, warmed her heart. She had never felt threatened by the relationship Jace and Kaelie had together after she had learnt what they were really about. In fact, after her heart to heart, she was sure that the two of them considered each other as siblings. And yet, though Clary knew that Kaelie loved Jace more than her, and though she knew that Kaelie valued Jace's opinion more than her, Kaelie still took her side.

Kaelie stayed for half an hour, talking about anything but the reason why Clary was in a hospital bed. She takes about an ice-cream night at her place, just the two of them, like old times, she talked about school, she talked about Clary's charities, and finally, she let Clary know that she had called her priest, because she felt that Clary's religious mind would be more at peace if she could talk to her spiritual guide.

Which was why when she left, with the promise of a girls night around ice-cream pints, Father Crowley came in after her, sitting on her bed exactly where Kaelie had been sitting first. With gentleness and compassion, he took her hand and waited for her to start talking, but Clary simply shook her head and looked down. She didn't feel like listening to a sermon when twice she had been denied the joy of a child.

"Clary … Do not despair. You will have your chance to be a mother," He assured her, and once again she shook her head, refusing to listen to his words of hope when all she was feeling was loss and despair.

"God only tests the bravest souls. He would not put this burden on you if he didn't think you could endure it."

"Or maybe He thinks I'm not fit to be a mother!" she snapped. Maybe, despite all her well-wishing and her good intentions, the Higher Power knew better than to put in her hands the life of an innocent child.

"You and I both know that this isn't true. I know that you're sad and angry now, but remember what I told you last time. The best rewards come after the hardest tests."

She snarled, not seeing the wisdom in his words. She already had a miscarriage, so she was supposed to go through this pregnancy unscathed if she was following his logic. With a pointed look, Father Crowley asked to look deep within her,

"Think, Clary. Think of the dark place you were in the last time. Has nothing brought you immense pleasure since then?"

She didn't say a word as she understood that he meant to talk about Jace. After her first miscarriage, she had cried so much, and she had confessed to the good Father that she wished Jace had been by her side. And now, she had married the man she loved, the man she kept on loving during the two years of their separation, even though she had tried to forget him. The man who was sitting by her bed now, looking at her and the religious man, not saying a word or showing a single expression.

"Maybe … but I feel that this time, I'm losing more than I'm gaining," She whispered, hoping that only Father Crowley heard her.

The good man gently squeezed her hand, briefly glancing to the ever so stoic Jace who was looking back straight in the eyes of the religious man, a fire burning in his golden orbs.

"Don't despair, my child. Life has a funny way of doing things for the better. If you feel that a door closes on you, it's because a better one opened for you."

And on these words, he kissed her forehead and left the couple alone. For an hour, neither Clary nor Jace spoke, both lost in their thoughts and unable to talk due to the cold silence Jace was imposing on them. She wished that he would simply take her in his arms, even though he didn't want to talk, but when she decided to get up and go to him, she noticed the way he was grabbing the arms of his chair. His knuckles were white for he was holding the arms so tight, and it refrained her from any attempt of getting closer to him.

She was tired, and though she wanted to sleep again, she didn't want to do it without hearing a single word from her husband.

"Jace?" She waited for him to acknowledge her, but once again, he simply turned his head, not looking at her in the eyes. So she laid on the bed, turning her back to him because she didn't want him to see her crying even more, and she let him know between two sobs,

"I'm sorry for the baby."

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **Clary's PoV**

Clary woke up with her head pounding and her heart aching. She struggled to open her eyes, her tears from the previous night having dried to salt and making it difficult for her to see the light of the day. Without great conviction or will, she sat up in the clinical bed that brought her so much sorrow, doing her best to hold the new tears coming her way as she remembered her sorrows of the previous day. She glanced at the chair where her husband had been sitting the previous night, not saying a word and watching her cry herself to sleep. A lump grew in her throat when she found it empty, without any note left for her to assure her that he would be back soon. She was alone. All alone once more, because she wasn't strong enough. At this moment, she would have given anything to be anyone else, to never have experienced this pain. She would rather be a poor girl without a penny to her name, she would rather be a suburban wife with bills and mortgages drowning her, she would rather be a naked Amazonian who knew nothing of the modern society and thought of planes as metal birds than to be herself in this very moment.

This was the second time she had to go through this pain, and it was even worse than the first time. This time she had hope, and it had been snatched away from her at the cruellest moment.

She curled on herself, crying, and wondering what was wrong with her. Why couldn't she be like everybody else? Why, of all things, was _this_ what was denied to her? And why did she have to go through this alone, once again?

She was married! Her husband was supposed to love her, through sickness and health, but he wasn't here. He didn't even hold her last night. He let her cry on her own, though there was more than enough space on that ridiculously large and empty bed. He went back to his own life and left her all alone in the morning as if nothing happened.

Did he expect her to smile at him when she saw him again? Did he plan to pretend that nothing ever happened? _Did he even care_? She knew he loved her, but maybe the recent developments of their situation made him reevaluate that statement and think he would be better off without her. Maybe he wanted someone _normal_ , after all.

As she kept on crying her heart out, her thoughts getting darker and darker by the minute, the door to her room opened, and revealed her father, with a pained expression on his face. He had been away for the last couple of days, and she tried to smile, because, despite her sorrows, she was happy to see him, but she never managed to turn her lips in the proper curve.

"Oh, sweetheart," Valentine said, walking to his daughter, and taking her in his arms as soon as she was at arm's length.

Clary burst into loud tears, sobbing in her father's comforting embrace, not caring that she was not a child anymore and simply crying her heart out to the man who had always been there for her, for as long as she could remember.

Valentine held her for as long as her tears streamed down her face, soothing her with calm and sweet words, just like he did when she was younger. She didn't need to tell him how much she was in pain, how much she was hurting, he already knew, because all her life, he had always been the one person there for her, through the ups and the downs, the one person who would go to the moon and back just to put a smile on her face.

When she finally called down, he gave her a tissue to wipe away her tears, and though he put a more reasonable distance between them, he did not move far from her. With love and compassion, he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, and she glanced at the chair that her husband had left empty, asking her beloved father,

"Have you seen Jace?"

"Yes. I saw him just before getting into your room. He's the one who called me and told me to come back home, even though Maryse tried to call me a couple of hours later."

"So … he's just getting coffee?" She suggested though she knew she was being delusional.

First of all, Jace did not drink coffee, and she doubted he would ever settle for the insipid tea of the hospital. Second, Jace had made sure that she would not be alone by calling her father, which meant that he had no intention of being by her side. But still, she let that flicker of hope light up her heart.

Valentine looked at his daughter with empathy, and though he did not say a word, Clary could tell that her father knew exactly where Jace was, and what he was doing. And so she demanded, fear now freezing her insides,

"Don't sugarcoat, Dad! _Has Jace left our home_?!"

" _No_!" He hurriedly assured her. "Of course not, sweetheart. It's just … Jace is a man who doesn't like to be overwhelmed by emotions. And I think that, right now, he is dealing with your loss and the emotions it arises in him, by exerting revenge. This is what he knows, and this is how he deals with things."

Though Clary felt that she should understand the subtle innuendo her father was giving her, she had no idea what it meant and therefore had no idea of where Jace could be. She could only find a little comfort by knowing that he hadn't deserted her completely.

Maybe this was his way to deal with loss, maybe he needed to be by himself. She had always needed to be surrounded by people when she had lost someone, but she knew that not everyone was the same. When Izzy had lost her paternal grandmother, she had isolated herself for almost a month, whereas Alec had found comfort in talking to her.

With sadness still clouding her heart, she looked around, hating how this room was making her feel like she was on her deathbed. She glanced yet again at the empty chair, willing it to produce her loving husband, before she came back to reason, and let her father know,

"I don't want to stay here Dad. I want to go home."

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

 **Clary's PoV**

It had been two days and one night since she had last seen Jace. She wasn't even sure if he had come home when she was sleeping. The previous night, Valentine had given her a sleeping pill to help her have a dreamless night full of rest, and though it worked, it did not help with her worries in the morning.

She had tried to call Jace dozens of times, but his phone always rang until she had to leave a message, which had never happened before. Of course, when he was away, especially when he was abroad, she had to leave messages, or text him to call her back when he was free. But when he was in New York, no matter what he did, he always picked up when she called.

That simple act scared Clary much more than she cared to admit. She knew how much Jace wanted to be a father. She knew that it was something that he had been planning since before he even met her or her father. She knew how excited he had been about their pregnancy and the baby developing inside of her. And now, he had learnt that she wasn't able to give her that one thing that was supposed to be the most natural thing in their relationship.

Even though she hated thinking it, she was afraid that Jace felt like she was not good enough after all. Maybe he still loved her, but she wasn't all he needed. Jace wanted children and she wasn't able to give him that, to do what women have been doing since the dawn of time. Maybe he wanted to find another woman who could … Maybe he would cheat on her ( _with Aline of all people_ ), or maybe even worse, he would divorce her to find himself a more suitable wife.

It was with those dark thoughts in mind that Clary stayed in her bedroom during the two days, refusing to go out when her father proposed for them to have lunch or dinner together. She stayed in her bed, cursing the cold emptiness of it, and crying more than she ever did in her whole life. She wasn't sure how she should feel. She was supposed to mourn for her child with her husband but said husband created another sorrow by abandoning her.

As she kept on crying, her heart calling Jace a liar as she remembered his wedding vows and him promising to stay by her side in _sickness and in health_ , someone gently knocked on her door. She ignored it, recognising Tessa's soft knock, and curled up in her bed even more. The door opened, and Tessa got in with a generous tray containing a homemade soup, some cut fruits, several slices of bread and a glass of juice.

"You need to eat. Miss Clary," she pointedly said, putting the tray on the bed before sitting on the edge of it and giving the young redhead a sweet and compassionate smile.

Clary sat up on the bed, though she did not reach for the food on the tray, her red and puffy eyes lost in space. Tessa reached for the young girl's hand and gently squeezed it before she said, "You'll get to try again. You're still young. Not everyone is lucky the first times around."

"What if my husband doesn't want to try again?" Clary let out, finally confessing to someone else what had been eating her up. Once again, Tessa had a sweet smile for her, her hand squeezing hers once more as she wisely said,

"Men have different ways of showing their grief and sorrow. And often, they try to keep it from us because they want to appear weak. Mr Wayland loves you, Miss Clary. One could even say that his love for you is the only thing that makes hi human. I'm sure he's just trying to appear strong in front of you."

Clary's lips curled upward, though it was mainly humour Tessa. She was no fool, she knew that Jace scared more than one person and that he always appeared like a heartless and cold person to the rest of the world, Tessa included. But that was the rest of the world. Jace had no issue showing his rawest emotions to her and only her.

She had seen pure fear for her on one of his birthdays when pictures of her had been taken. She had seen anger when she had tried to push him into meeting his parents. She had seen him cry when he heard the heartbeat of their son. She had been the one to who he had opened his heart. So she knew that Jace would have no problems sharing his grief with her. If he wasn't here, it was because he was avoiding her for something else entirely.

Tessa left, understanding that Clary was not in a mood to talk, and the redhead stayed alone for most of the day. She disregarded her phone, not wanting to feel hurt every time it would light up with a text or a phone call and it would not be Jace. When the sun started to set, she finally gathered herself up, and she went to the nursery, using the door connecting it to her and Jace's bedroom.

There, she blankly stared a the furniture, feeling more and more empty as she was realising that she would never get to hold her son in this room. She would never get to soothe his tummy ache on the rocking chair by the window. She would never get to tuck him in and put on the mobile in the bed that Jace had assembled for their child. She would never get to see her son in the clothes she had bought him.

With a heavy sigh, she opened a bag and started packing up the clothes she had pictured her son in, so she could donate them to charity. Even if Jace came back to her and they managed to have children, she didn't think she would be able to put those particular clothes on another baby without feeling sad each and every time.

She was still in the middle of emptying her baby's closet when someone knocked on the door and entered. And for the first time in a couple of days, Clary had a smile. Sure it wasn't a big one, and probably showed a lot of sadness, but seeing this particular face made her realise that some people ha much worst problems in their life. She was getting worked up over nothing. The doctors had told her she could have other children, and Maryse was apparently the living proof of that.

"I didn't know you were back already," She said, her voice slightly broken due to the amount of crying she had done over the past couple of days.

James smiled, though Clary could tell by the way he was looking at her that he knew of the sorrow she was going through. He leaned against the doorframe and waved a wrapped present as he gently told her,

"I came to give you my wedding gift since I wasn't here for your big day. And … I thought you could use a friend."

She took the present and unwrapped it, not without telling James to come further into the nursery; and a disused chuckle escaped her mouth when she saw that he had gifted her with an edition of the Kamasutra, straight from India. She flipped through the pages, appreciating that it was written in Hindi, even though she couldn't read it, and feeling a pang in her heart at the possibility that Jace might not want to try some of those positions with her. _Where was he_?

"Thank you, James. That was very thoughtful. I just dot think I will use it now, though."

"Of course not. I even hesitated to bring it to you. I know it must be … Actually, no I don't. And I can't even begin to imagine."

Clary felt new tears building up in her eyes, surprised that she could still produce any, and in the blink of an eye, James was by her side, soothingly rubbing her arm as he assured her,

"It's going to be alright, Clary. You'll get through this. And if you need to talk, I am here for you."

She hesitated, and finally told him what has been weighing her heart, and what she had told anyone,

"What if there is something wrong with me? This is the second time I'm losing a bay, and I'm not even thirty? What if I can't ever have children? The doctors said I could try again in a few months, but they said the same the first time, and I still lost my baby. And this time, it was even worse. The last time I didn't even get the chance to get an ultrasound or anything, but this time, I heard his heart, I felt him kick, I knew it was a boy. I was already picking out names, for crying out loud."

She burst in tears, and James instinctively wrapped his arms around her, giving her comfort and showing her that indeed he was there for her. She cried, keeping for herself her worries about Jace, mostly because a part of her was hoping he just needed time to sort out whatever was going through his mind, and that he would come back to her afterwards.

But her sobs were interrupted by a loud clear of the throat by the door. James and she both craned their necks to see who was there, and relief washed through her when she saw her husband leaning against the doorframe. James broke their embrace under Jace's hard gaze, and never until that moment, the saying 'If looks could kill' had been truer to Clary.

For a moment, the three of them remained silent, before James nervously cleared his throat and hugged Clary goodbye, telling her that they would see each other around. She waved at him as he left, and returned her gaze on Jace who was carefully looking at the bags on the floor.

She noticed his bruised knuckles and the fact that stubble was growing on his chin, which he usually liked to keep shaven. But most of all, she noticed that his eyes were dead. Gone was that sparkle of love shining in his golden orbs when he would see her.

"I'm going to Chicago for a week. I just came to let you know."

" _What_? No! You can't go. We need to talk," She cried out, ignoring how much it hurt to hear him talk to her so casually as if she was just another person and not _his wife_. He snorted, a dark humourless smile spreading his lips, and asked,

"So _now_ you want to talk?"

"What is this supposed to mean? You're the one who's been missing since … since it happened."

"And yet, you had no problems finding someone else to talk to. Maybe I should call back your James so he can keep you company and you two can _talk_ some more."

"Jace …" She started, taking a step in his direction. However, she was stopped immediately, not daring say another word, or make another move, intimidated by the glare he gave her.

"You're always the one talking about trust, Clary. You're always the one asking me to open up about my past. And I do it. Because I love you. I let you bring my parents back in my life, even though every fibre of my body screamed not to. I've told you things that I've never told anyone. I confessed to you things I never even admitted to myself. I gave myself wholly to you, raw, without filters. Because I love you, and because I trusted you.

And what you did with my trust? You threw it back in my face! You may love me, but you never trusted me. You'd rather confide in the whole wide world than to confide in me, _your fucking husband_!"

"That's not true. I —."

"When were you going to tell me about your first miscarriage?!" He cut her off, anger blazing in his voice as he stepped closer inside the nursery.

She hiccuped, finally understanding why Jace had been so distant. It wasn't the grief like everyone thought, he was keeping her away from his anger, as he did all those years ago when she had tried to arrange a meeting with his parents. When the doctor had mentioned that she should watch her next pregnancy closely because of her two consecutive miscarriages, she didn't think much of it, she had been too lost in her pain. But now, she realised that it was at that exact moment that Jace had started being distant with her.

"Jace … I … We were broken up. I didn't want to put that weigh on your shoulders," She explained, not even acknowledging her never-ending tears.

Jace looked at her from head to toe, making like he was seeing her for the first time and giving her a cold shiver. Especially when he said, his voice glacial,

"If I didn't know you any better, I would say that you provoked that first miscarriage."

"You can't be serious. I _was_ going to tell you. As soon as the test showed I was pregnant, I knew I would tell you. But I wanted to go to the doctor first to be sure, and I lost the baby before I even had the chance to do so. There was no point in me going to see you tell you that you might have been a father.

And when we got back together, I just didn't see any reasons to tell you and get back to that dark time. It was very painful and I didn't want to put that pain on you."

Jace shook his head, barely moved by her words or her tears as he pointed out, "And yet, you had no problems telling James all about your pain. I heard you, Clary. You told him things you've never told me when I've always been honest about my feelings. The ups and the downs, I've always been clear to you. As I said, I may have had your love, but I never fully had your trust."

" _No_! I do trust you! More than you'll ever know."

"DON'T LIE!" He roared, swinging his hand on the side in a gesture of anger.

Unfortunately for it, the crib was on the way and found itself on the floor, several bars falling out of it. She widely opened her eyes, and for the first time in her life, she was truly scared of Jace. It wasn't the first time he was showing her his rawest emotions, it wasn't the first time that he was angry at her, and she could see why others were scared of him, but it was the first time she was scared and uncomfortable being alone in a room with him. And so she wrapped her hands around herself, taking a minute step backwards.

Jace immediately took notice of it, not doing a thing to reassure her, but not scaring her any further; and Clary saw behind him her father appear, probably worried about the commotion. She saw how his eyes went from the broken crib to her shivering in a corner, and before he could do or say anything, Jace straightened up, and turned his back on her, walking out of the nursery.

At the door, Valentine stopped him, ready to confront him, but Jace did not let the older man utter a word, as he threatened whispered in a dark tone, " _Move_."

Valentine glanced up at Clary again who silently implored him of not making a scene, and he stepped aside, allowing Jace to go. She counted to five before going after him, asking her father to let her do her thing. She knew that Jace would never have an open conversation if Valentine was around. This was probably the reason why he left in the first place.

She caught up with him by the front door, and grabbed his shoulder as she implored him, "Please don't leave angry with me."

She hated the fact that he was going away and that their last words were words of anger because she couldn't help but fear every time he was going away that it might be the last time she would ever see him. And though Jace usually assured her at this point that he would be fine and that she would see him before she knew it, this time, he only stiffened under her touch, a cold aura emanating from him.

" _Remove your hand_ ," He gritted between his teeth, and when she didn't, he turned to look down on her, anger blazing in his eyes.

"How many times will I have to tell you not to go behind my back? Of course, I care that we lost the baby, but that's beside the point! When I had the phone call, my first thoughts were about you, not about the baby! I care that you're okay, I care that you're healthy, I care that you're not endangered!

But _you_! You knew all along that you were more prone to a miscarriage because you already had one due to medical reasons! And you still took the decision to keep it to yourself and carry on this pregnancy, knowing the risks. Do you think I never noticed the innuendos tour doctor had? I just never understood where they were coming from.

But now I do. You just never deemed me trustworthy enough to share this information with me."

His last sentence broke Clary's heart. It was as if he was just realising something terrible that he couldn't change, and she wished she could assure him that he was wrong. She had been the one who made the stupid decision, not because of him, but because of herself.

"Jace …"

"Anyone else, and they wouldn't be standing talking to me, right now. Man or woman, if anyone would have betrayed my trust like that, they would be six feet underground as we speak. Be grateful that you are my wife."

And on those words, he left the residence, not looking back even once as he walked to the gate, living behind him a heartbroken Clary. She wiped her face, her sobs only getting stronger and closed the door after five minutes when it was obvious that Jace would not come back. numbly, she walked back to her room where her father was waiting for her, pacing and anxious. As soon as he saw her, he walked to her, and inquired,

"Sweetheart, did he hurt you?"

His tone was full of anger, making Clary sure that if she had the misfortune of saying yes, her father would probably do his best to end Jace. But the truth was, Jace had done nothing but force her to look in the mirror, so she could see that she was the one who had destroyed their marriage.

So she shook her head, and said the truth, "No, Dad. _I_ hurt him, not the other way around."

.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚 **Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed** 💚

 **‼️BTW, next chapter will be someone else's POV. Anyone who can guess gets a sneak peak ... So can you guess who it is going to be. ‼️**

 **.**

 **💚 So ... I think it was quite obvious that we were going there. I mean, it was in the prologue, and we had so much cuteness and fluff lately, you didn't know me well if you thought it would last ... But it was necessary. And, I know it hurts, but as I keep on saying, this story has dark themes.**

💚 **Well ... Jace is proper angry. What do you think? Do you agree with him staying away from Clary?**

💚 **And, well, I have to say, sorry for the tears ...**

💚 **And don't forget to check out my books on Amazon and to leave me your thoughts there and on Goodreads... ^^**

💚 **And what's was your favourite part? I'm always curious about that. Mine was that last sentence...**

 **Anyway, Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚


	14. 13: No Bravery

**My dear little broccolis** 💚💚💚

💚 **So, I know you have been waiting for this update for a long time. And I know some of you got impatient because I update other stories. The thing is, this chapter is from a particular POV, and I just wanted to take my time to make sure I would not offend anyone in the way I depicted this character. It is never my intention to offend someone when I write, especially when I write a certain type of character which can represent someone's beliefs or ideology, and if that means I am going to get hate for taking my time, well, I will gladly take the hate. As long as no one is offended at the end, it's all that matters to me.‼️**

 **💚Also, as this chapter once again touch the very sensitive topic of religion, I am putting another warning. _DON'T YOU DARE ATTACK SOMEONE'S BELIEF IN THE COMMENT SECTION_! Any negative and aggressive comment concerning someone's religion or views will be automatically removed. I don't care if it's about the story, or the characters, just don't attack people and their religion! I am really serious about that!**

 **💚That being said, I am not above typos, so don't mind those, haha**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚

 **.**

 **Chapter 13** **: No Bravery (3,2K) - James Blunt**

 **Don't forget to check the songs 😉**

 **Father Crowley's PoV**

As the bell struck ten, Father Crowley closed the front door of the Church before making sure that all the bibles were at their places on the benches. Then, he went to extinguish the burning candles, his mind still preoccupied on whether he should change his sermon for the next day, or not. He had one ready since the preceding Sunday, but the shootout that had happened just a couple of blocks away that very same day made him reconsider.

He decided to go to his office and work and that new sermon, so he could inspire love and hope and stop his parishioners from being quick to judge and close themselves off to the ones in need. But once in his office, he found someone he did not expect to ever see in his church.

Jace Wayland-Morgenstern was sitting in his chair, apparently waiting for him, his face dark and cold and his eyes circled by heavy bags that showed that the man hadn't slept for days. And though he was surprised to see Jace coming to him, the religious man was not surprised that Jace seemed to have been so affected by his recent grief.

No matter his feelings for the mobster and his ways of life, the priest knew that no person in the world deserved to lose their child, even less when they didn't even get to hold the child at least once in their arms. Moreover, Clary had often told the holly man that fatherhood had been Jace's dream. The only thing he had ever really wanted.

The two men looked at each other, assessing one another, and the priest consciously closed the door, ready to give his whole attention to this man in need, despite the fact that he knew that the criminal did not share his religious beliefs. He was a soul in need, and no matter how tainted the soul was, it was his duty to help him feel better.

"It's not what you think," Jace said as the priest sat in front of him, and Father Crowley rose an eyebrow, not sure why would Jace have come if it wasn't because he had lost all hopes and God was now the only person he could turn to.

He watched the young man get up and start pacing, not saying a word as his brows were strongly knotted and his hands were behind his back. For ten good minutes, this silence imposed by Jace remained and the good priest did nothing but look at the man, waiting for him to open up on his own.

And finally, the blond man stopped pacing, looking at the priest in his eyes, and said, "I came because you are most likely the only person who will be the most honest with me. Despite how you feel about me, I trust that … _your profession_ will make you say things how they are, unbiased, without any sugarcoating or animosity."

Father Crowley did not say a word, surprised by Jace's words, and he watched the young man sit back in the chair of his office and rest his elbows on his knees. It seemed that, whatever Jace Wayland had on his mind, it was not easy for him to talk about it. But the priest could understand. Jace was not a believer, so it was probably very hard for him to seek solace with a man of Faith.

"I know you can't talk about what is said in this … _establishment_. But, as a person, not as a priest, do you think that my wife fears me?"

"Well, I have to say, I was not expecting that," Was all the priest had to say.

He never expected Jace to actually value anything he had to say, or even respect him enough to see his words as truth and not him trying to preach. And he didn't blame the man. He knew not everyone was a believer, and from what Clary had told him over the years, even though he did not agree with Jace's views on life, or ways of life, he could understand that the man only relied on himself and no one else.

And yet, in his hour of need, at the moment he doubted himself as a man more than he ever did, he still came to see God's spokesman. Sure, it wasn't because of his relationship with God, but more because of Father Crowley's relationship with Clary, but still, the holly man knew that Jace thought nothing of him, he wouldn't have come in the first place.

He watched the blond man expectantly looking at him, not sure of how he would be able to appease this soul who clearly did not want to be preached when one of Clary's many statements about Jace came into tuition. He was not a patient man.

"Answer the fucking question, _damn it_!" Jace burst, snapping his head to the priest and glaring at him.

"This is the house of God, Jace. You would do well to remember, no matter your feelings on the matter," Father Crowley patiently said, though his tone still echoes with a warning. "Now, what would make you think that _Clary_ of all people could ever be scared of you?"

Jace looked down, seemingly wearing the weight of the world on his shoulders. The good priest let the mobster come out on his own, observing every little detail about him, all the while racking his brains for all the time Clary had mentioned Jace to him in confessional.

Never in all the years Clary had known Jace, she expressed feeling fear in his presence. Even when Jace had been nothing more than one of her father's man, she was never scared around him, just like she was never scared around her father. Of course, she knew that both of those men inspired fear in the world, but she never really experienced why first hand, and if Father Crowley had to give one thing to Valentine and his disciple, was the fact that both men deeply loved Clary and would do anything to keep her safe.

So it was a strange concept that Jace felt that Clary feared him when he was probably the person she felt safest around, beside her father. But then again, Father Crowley hadn't seen Clary since the hospital, and people could change a lot because of grief.

When Jace finally talked, he didn't look up, staring a blank space on the floor as he went on, "Today, for the first time in our relationship, I have seen fear in my wife's eyes as she looked at me.

You and I know very well what kind of man I am, but no matter how angry I might I have been in the past, no matter how much I might have raised my voice, Clary has never shown fear. And … I always thought that it was because she knew that I could never hurt her…"

His voice broke a little, and for a little while, it seemed that he was lost in his thoughts, or maybe he was seeing all over again the look of fright that Clary gave him, which made Father Crowley curious. What could Jace have done to waver Clary's blind faith in him? Clary has always defended Jace, claiming that he had a sweet side that no one but her saw, and yet, she had shown enough fear for the mobster to come to _a priest_.

When Jace spoke again, the man of God was sure that the blond man was more talking to himself than to the priest, but he still listened, trying to see through the maze of his brain,

"I'm not so sure, anymore … I mean … I could never hurt her, but maybe she doubts that. Maybe that's why she never said anything about her first miscarriage. Because she was scared of me and how I'd react. But I would have been there for her, no matter our relationship at the time. I _should_ have been there for her."

"Well, Clary really does know you better than anyone else," The priest scoffed, not ready to hear the younger man wail in self-pity. The mobster snapped his head up to glare at the holly man who explains this point-of-view,

"I don't think Clary has ever been scared of you, Jace. She's actually the one always preaching me how good and sweet of a man you can be."

"I saw the fear in her eyes!"

"And maybe you misinterpreted it. Maybe Clary feared that your desire for fatherhood was stronger than your love for her, and you did nothing to prove her wrong. Where were you the past couple of days?"

Jace remained silent, though Father Crowley wasn't sure if it was because he was pondering on this possibility, or if it was because he didn't want to tell him what happened of what happened since the miscarriage. He had noticed back at the hospital the distance between the couple, even though Clary always swore that Jace was a very tactile man when he was with her, and he feared that, in order to protect Clary from his own feelings, Jace had retrieved and not said a word to his wife since the terrible news dropped. It was something he often saw in couples, especially younger couples. Miscommunication could easily lead to the downfall of a relationship.

He waited for five minutes for Jace to speak on his own, but when it became transparent that the mobster had no intentions on opening up further, but was still expecting a miracle from the pries, the good Father called him out on it,

"You can't come in here, asking me to help you see clearer in your relationship, and yet refusing to talk to me. Don't see me as a priest. Unlike Clary, I am not delusional enough to think that you will ever choose the path of God. But no matter how you feel about me and this House, I am here to ease your pain away. No matter how you feel about God, you are one of his children, and I am here to listen and help you find a way, whether that way leads to Him or not, it is only up to you."

Jace looked at him, his shoulders still holding the weight of the world, before he finally let out, though it seemed to require great efforts from him, "I was back in our apartment."

" _You haven't been back in the mansion over the past two days_?" The priest mused, realising that things were much worse than he thought. Maybe he would have ought to pay a visit to Clary. Given her heart of gold, she had probably been crying her heart out, feeling that her whole world was crashing down.

Jace glared at him, clearly not liking the accusatory and judging tone that the priest had used, not that Father Crowley cared,

"I did. And there she was, confusing all those things she never told me to that bastard. Not to her father, not to her best friend, but to that fucking moron who just got back from India!"

"Language! Don't forget that you are in the House of God!"

"You said not to see you as a priest!"

"And yet, you are still in God's House. I am sure that you respect your wife enough to respect this holly place to her, no matter your feelings about it."

Jace rolled his eyes, but Father Crowley could tell that he would not hear the man cuss again in his church. After all, men like Jace and Valentine were men of pride, and the priest was sure that Jace prided himself to show all kind of respect to Clary.

He deeply breathed through his nose, looking at this man who was lost and broken, though he would never admit it, and for a moment, the good priest pondered on his powerful love could be. It always amazed him when he would witness those kinds of situations.

Jace Wayland had tainted the newspapers for quite some years, and not always for the bests of reasons. Though nothing was ever proven and all were speculations, he had been linked to countless murders, had tortured dozens of people, and even ruined lives just for the sake of a statement. And yet, the man who seemed to be made of steeled been broken by the simple fact that the woman he loved felt more comfortable sharing her insecurities with another man.

He could see Jace's point-of-view, and in his heart of heart, he felt that Clary should have talked to Jace about those insecurities, him being her husband and the best person to reassure her. But it still amazed him that a man so cold could be broken by the simplicity of love.

"Jace … I do understand that this is a difficult time for the two of you, and I will never try to pretend that I know what either of you is going through. But your wedding vows were clear, _in sickness and in health_."

"I know," Jace said, hanging his head low. The priest waited, sure that the mobster would add something else, and it did not fail, "But I can't do _a thing_ for her."

"You can be with her. Despite her wealth and her upbringing, Clary has a gentle soul. All she needs is your presence by her side. And right now, you're not helping. Why did you desert her?"

Jace grimaced, clearly not happy with the Father's choice of words, not that the man cared. He was certainly not going to sugarcoat Jace Wayland of all people.

"I … didn't want to go back to her with blood on my hands. Not this time."

"Whose blood?"

"The as … the guy who bumped into Clary and made her fall."

"You killed him?! But the fall was not the reason for Clary's miscarriage!"

Jace rose an eyebrow at the priest as if he was questioning the good man's intelligence. After all, they both knew who he was, and what he did to people who went against him, and Father Crowley had no doubts that Jace cared very little if the man was the reason behind the loss of his child, he had still been in the way, and apparently that was reason enough for him.

"And did killing that man bring you peace? Or maybe it brought you your child back?"

"It's a matter of principle. And I'm not here to talk about this insignificant matter."

"Right. So, tell me, why are you here, talking to me, instead of being with Clary?" Father Crowley asked, doing his best to not preach that ending a man's life was indeed a significant matter. He knew that Jace would not listen to him, and if he could make an impact in that man's life, he knew it would be via Clary, so Jace would need to go back to his wife.

"I have to go away for a week, and the last image I have of my wife is her being scared out of her skin by my words and my very presence. I want you to tell me how to fix it!"

"I can't do anything, and you know it. You know that the only person who can do something is yourself, Jace. So now, be honest with me and yourself, _why are you here_?"

Jace pondered for a moment, before promptly getting up as he said, "It was a mistake."

Father Crowley got up as fast as the mobster, blocking his passage to leave the office. He knew very well that he had no chance if Jace chose to use force, but he still believed that no matter Jace's feelings towards the Church, he would still respect the institution itself and would have the decency to not kill him in the house of God. If not for priority, for Clary's sake.

"You know it wasn't. You know you've done something wrong by deserting your wife in the time she needed you the most. And instead of seeing absolution with her, you came to me. Well, let me tell you, even if you were a believer, neither God nor I could absolve you. It is Clary that you hurt, and only her can make you feel better."

"You got this all wrong, _Padre_. I didn't come for absolution. I know my wrongs, and I've never been afraid to own up to them. I came here because my wife is scared of me. I came here because I want to know for how long she has been scared of me. If she's scared, she can't trust me. If she had trusted me all those years ago, we wouldn't be in this situation right now."

"You seem to forget who your wife is. She didn't keep her miscarriage because she doesn't trust you. If you must know, Clary has had blind faith in you since before you even started this whole affair together.

She kept her hurt for herself because she was sure you would do what you're doing, fringing a way to blame yourself instead of accepting that sometimes, things happen that are out of our control. It is not her fault, it is not your fault, and it is certainly not God's fault. Life happens, and as I told Clary back at the hospital, God knows who is strong enough to endure life's harshest lessons.

Clary loves you with all her heart, but she's had a very poor example of what love is in her childhood. Her father adores her, probably as much as he loved his wife, and he was always there for her. And now, when life struck her with its cruellest twist, the man she had expected to be by her side deserted her bed and her house, because of his ego.

You might hide behind the morals of trust, but in the end, it has been two days since you saw your wife. We both know that you've already shared her bed after killing a man, we both know that you would never hurt her. We both know that she will forgive your behaviour in the blink of an eye.

You were just a coward, Jace. This moment where a wife and husband are supposed to bear their souls to one another, to show their emotions as raw as they can get, you chose your cowardly way out and hid under the pretence of 'you scaring your wife'.

Man up, and be the husband Clary believes you are."

As he finished his tirade, Father Crowley opened the office's door, subtly dismissing the mobster. For a second, he feared for his life, as Jace looked at him from head to toe, with such a cold look that the hair of his neck rose up. It wasn't lost on him that he had just accused a notorious criminal of being a coward.

But then, Jace surprised him, straitening his coat and saying with a polite and even tone, "Thank you. As I said, I came for an unbiased opinion."

And on those words, he left. The good priest watched the young man walk away, surprised that he took so well hearing those words, and though it was far from his usual counselling, he was quite proud of having touched that particular soul, even if he had to do it in unconventional ways.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚 **Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed** 💚

 **.**

 **💚 So ... I know this chapter took a while, but as I said, given the PoV, I just didn't want to put something just for the sake of it. Don't hate me too much, and maybe I'll pop another one by Christmas or the end of the year.**

💚 **Now that we have a better understanding of Jace, what do you think of him? And to make it clear, Jace went to the priest for an objective PoV. Both Valentine, Magnus and Kaeilie would have been biased, and he just wanted who would be as neutral as possible, but with still of a backstory.**

💚 **And, what did you think of Father Crowley and his words to Jace, as well as his thoughts about Clary?**

💚 **And don't forget to check out my books on Amazon and to leave me your thoughts there and on Goodreads... ^^**

💚 **And what's was your favourite part? I'm always curious about that. Mine was that last part, the priest is being a savage, haha.**

 **💚 What do you think will happen next?**

* * *

 **‼️FOR GUEST REVIEWERS‼️**

 _,_

 ** _Sorry again for the very long wait, here is my update, and next one I will definitely answer. It is just very late, and I have to wake up early tomorrow._**

💚 **Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚


	15. 14: We Belong Together

**My dear little broccolis** 💚💚💚

💚 **So, the last update of the year. Hope you will enjoy it and have a Happy New Year's Eve.**

 **💚Also, thank you guys for your reviews and support. Every time Father Crowley gets in the picture, I worry, and it is always a relief to see that you guys are being so tolerant and all. So thank you all.**

 **💚That being said, I am not above typos, so don't mind those, haha**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚

 **.**

 **Chapter 14** **: We Belong Together (2,5K) - Mariah Carrey**

 **Don't forget to check the songs 😉**

 **Clary's PoV**

When Clary woke up the next day, she didn't move, staring into space as she was feeling more and more empty by the minute. She had only fallen asleep when the sun started to rise, and she was trying to rationalise herself and the whole situation.

On one hand, she could understand Jace and his point-of-view. She could understand that he felt betrayed by her silence and even more by the fact that she told James things that she had never told him. But the fact was, James at caught her in a moment of weakness. She never intended to tell him any of this, he had just been there at the right time. In fact, she was sure that, if Jace had been there, he would have been the one on whose shoulder she would have cried.

And this was what had kept Clary up all night. After her self-pity on how, once again, she had handled things in her couple, she started feeling more and more angry against Jace. She didn't care if he was angry, or hurt. _He was her husband_ and he failed her. That one simple thing he had been supposed to do for her, he didn't. He had left her all alone when she had needed him the most.

Everyone around her had come to see her, to show support, to give her words of encouragement and hope for the future, everyone but the person who should have been there for the start. Jace didn't give her a single word of comfort since they learnt they lost their baby.

She angrily wiped her tears away, turning on her bed and facing the cold and empty side of it. surprisingly, she found Bastille curled up on Jace's pillow, looking at her with his round blue eyes. She sadly smiled, petting the cat who immediately started purring when she did so. Bastille usually stayed at a distance when she was on her periods, so she hadn't expected to see the cat for a while.

For a long hour, she did nothing but caress the ginger cat, ignoring the two times someone knocked on her door before she abruptly got up, and went to the bathroom to have a shower. She already wallowed in her self-pity when she lost her first baby, and she refused to do the same, once again. With or without Jace, she would survive this loss and avoid the depression that loomed over her the last time.

Once she was clean, she called Lauren and asked the girl to drive her to Church. She had much too much anger pent up inside her, and she just needed to let it out. She managed to sneak out of the house without bumping into her father, knowing that he was probably going to make a big deal out of what happened last night.

She hadn't gone back to the nursery, not eager to see the proof of Jace's anger laying around. She still couldn't believe that, for the first time in their relationship, Jace resulted in violence in front of her. She wasn't naive enough to think that her husband was a peaceful man, but he always made a point to differentiate his work and their home-life. She knew that Jace would never lay a hand on her, but she was still shocked by his display of violence.

When Lauren parked in front of the Church, Clary asked her to stay in the car, not wanting the girl to follow her around whilst she was baring her soul to her good Father, and she entered the Holy House, walking straight to the candles. She lit one, silently saying a little prayer for this son that she would never get to hold, or even name, though, in her heart, he would always be a little Jon.

"I have been meaning to pay you a visit today, my child," Said the benevolent voice of Father Crowley behind her.

She turned but didn't find the strength to smile. Instead, she leaned in the embrace the religious man gave her. She took in the comfort he was giving her, feeling like a little kid again, when she had her first confession and earned her first absolution.

When she finally stepped out of Father Crowley's arms, he sweetly smiled to her, lifting her chin with his finger before he said what she had known in her hear all along,

"I'm not the one you want to talk to, Clary. You know what I will say, so just do what your heart tells you. There is nothing **_I_** can say that we make you feel better."

"What if —"

"Child, 'what if' is what the chick says before jumping out of the nest. It only depends on you whether you fly or crash."

She nodded, looking down on her hands before she went to sit on one of the benches, asking in her prayers forgiveness for her angry thoughts after her miscarriage. She believed that she would have a child again. Both Maryse and Valentine had told her so. And even more, she was living with the proof that belief could bring a child in her hearth.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

A few hours after her encounter with the priest, Clary was waiting in Jace's hotel room, nervously checking her phone every two minutes. She had been for more than a couple of hours, now, and it was almost midnight, and yet, Jace was still out and about.

She did her best to calm that stupid and ridiculous voice of doubt telling her that Jace was through with her and found solace in the arms of Aline who was more suitable for him. After all, she could probably bear children without losing them. And she had no problems being part of his criminal world. But she always shut down the voice by saying that Jace loved her. Despite his terrible words of yesterday night, he still loved her. Or at least, she liked to believe he did.

Her phone buzzed again, showing that her Dad was tried to call her for the millionth time of the day. She hadn't told anyone where she was going, asking Lauren to keep the secret, but she couldn't see her father on worrying like that,

 **I'm okay, Dad. Stop worrying. I'll call you tomorrow morning. Clary**

 **OF COURSE, I WORRY! Where are you? Lauren isn't telling. Dad**

 **I'm with Lauren. I just needed some time on my own. Promise I call you first thing in the morning. Clary**

Her phone buzzed again, indicating that Valentine had answered to her, but the front door finally opened. She got up, straightening her clothes and her hair, but Jace still wasn't in the room, talking to someone else,

"Maybe we could have breakfast together in the morning."

"I don't think so, Aline."

"Well, you never know. Just keep it in mind. And if you need _anything_ during the night, I'm literally next door."

Jace didn't respond anything, finally fully getting in the room, and freezing when he saw Clary standing behind him. But his surprise was nothing compared to hers when she saw that he was holding a puppy in his arms.

The pup was all black, except for a white patch on its torso and how paws being all white as well. It seemed to be a husky, though she had never seen a husky so black before, and its eyes were crystal blue.

The puppy barked, jumping on the floor and rushing to Clary and she instinctively crouched to pick it up, instantly rewarded by happy licks.

"What are you doing here?" Jace finally asked, sitting on the edge of the bed and carefully looking at her.

"I came to see my husband."

"Shouldn't you be resting? I mean. Is it even safe for you to travel like that?"

"Well, we need to talk, and I wasn't going to wait a whole week for you to come back," She snapped, though she avoided looking him in the eyes, focusing her attention on the puppy.

Jace remained silent for a moment, and then she finally looked back at him, he was by her side, making her jump a little. He fell down his knees, so they were both on the floor and what she had never expected from Jace happened, he broke down in tears, taking her face between his hands,

"I'm so sorry. I should have been there for you, and I let my anger get the better of me. It wasn't the time or the place. I should have been there for you, and I wasn't. I promised you that I'd always be here for you, and for the first time in my life, I failed my word. I am so sorry, Clary."

"Jace …"

" _Please_ , forgive me," He pleaded, taking her in his arms and burying his face in the crook of her neck.

She hadn't expected any of this. She had expected a very heated discussion where they would both let out all they had to say, and still, end up reconciling by the end of the night. Instead, Jace seemed to know already he had been in the wrong. But she didn't want to let any unsaid thing come between them like it did in the past.

"Jace, I … I understand where you came from when you said all those things yesterday night, but … well … you left me, and it hurt me. And then, yesterday night, you made me feel like you no longer loved nor respected me. And …"

"I am so sorry. It was never my intention. I was hurt and scared, and then, I saw James and ... I didn't think clearly." He put some distance between them, and looked deep in her eyes,

"I want children, Clary. I never made it a secret. But not at your expense. I don't care about where the kids come from, as long as we get to raise them _together_. And hearing that you already had a miscarriage, that you never told me about it, that it could have endangered you. I don't want to lose you. I'm not a good man enough to lose you. You're the one bringing the good out of me. Without you … I'd be a whole different man."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I didn't want you to feel bad when there was nothing that could have been done about it," She confessed with a small voice.

Jace looked deep in her eyes, and she reached to wipe away his tears. This was the first time that was seeing Jace being completely overwhelmed by his emotions. Even when they learnt that they were expecting a boy, he still had some control over himself.

"Did you think I came here to leave you?"

"We need to talk, is never a great opener."

"No, but we needed to talk. This is how we grow stronger as a couple."

He weakly smiled, closing his eyes and leaning in to kiss her. But they were interrupted by a yap coming from her laps. She chuckled, retaking the little ball of hair in her arms,

"What are you doing here, anyway?"

"I read somewhere that it was a good way to get over the loss of a child."

She smiled, scratching the pup being its ears, and looking at the necklace, seeing that Jace had already found a name for the pet and inscribed it in Japanese on its necklace.

"Omoi."

He smiled, petting the dog as well, as he explained, his words strangely sounding like something Father Crowley would say, just a tad less religious, "Because, even if we've had a door closed on us, it only means that we will get stronger and appreciate more what's to come in the future."

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

When she woke up the next morning, Clary found a note where Jace had been sleeping, explaining that he went for a jog with Omoi. She smiled, feeling so much better now that the two of them have talked. She didn't think that things would be all peachy all over again, but at least, they both admitted their wrongs and were both willing to go forward and let the past to the past.

She reached for her phone, about to call her Dad, now that she could tell him where she was, without him telling Jace and ruining the surprise, or losing his temper over it because of what had happened two nights ago. But Valentine had texted her already.

 **Jace called and said that you were staying in Chicago for the week with him. Don't let your old man worry like that, next time. My ticker isn't what it used to be. I love you. Dad**

She smiled at the text, getting out of bed and taking a quick shower, grimacing at the amount of blood that she was still losing. She had always been lucky on that aspect, because, though her periods usually lasted five days, she never lost much blood. But this time, just like after her first miscarriage, she felt that a horror movie was happening in her vagina. And though she knew that the bleeding would be longer than usual, she still couldn't wait to get this over with.

She was barely out of the shower, that someone knocked on the door, and she didn't bother dressing up, assuming that it was Jace who left without the key. So she opened the door, only wrapped in her towel, and found aline in front of her, all dressed and dolled up.

The two women looked at one another for a moment, before aline regained her composure,

"Oh, I had no idea Jace had company."

"He doesn't. He has a wife though who missed him and came to spend the week with him."

"Of course, Mrs Morgenstern. I was just here to see if Jace wanted to have breakfast. Perhaps you can join us, once you're more … appropriate."

Clary squinted at her choice of words, and at the way, Aline's eyes went to her stomach for a second. Maybe Aline had just meant that her being in a towel was indecent, but Clary had the clear impression that there was a double meaning to her words, clearly aimed at her losing a child.

But then again, she was still hormonal, and she was maybe being paranoid. All she knew, was that she took a step closer to aline, and hissed between her teeth,

"I don't care how much your bat your lashes at Jace, _my husband_ will never fall for it. I'm just going to say it once if I hear you made a move on my husband, I will —"

"What? Spray me with perfume?" Aline mocked, before turning her back on Clary and walking back to her room though she turned one last time, and added with a wicked grin,

"You know, Mrs Morgenstern, if your marriage was so strong, you wouldn't need to warn me off. You're going to slip again, and I'll be here to pick up the pieces."

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚 **Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed** 💚

 **.**

 **💚 So ... I know this chapter is short, but the next one will be short as well, haha. And I spoilt you way too much, giving you all those long ass chapters, haha.**

💚 **Now, what did you think of the reconciliation?**

💚 **And, what did you think of Father Crowley in this chapter, even if it was brief? What about Aline?**

💚 **And don't forget to check out my other story of the moment, _Give me The Daddy, I'll Give You The Sugar_. I'm sure you'll love 😉**

💚 **And what's was your favourite part? I'm always curious about that. Mine was that last part, the priest is being a savage, haha.**

 **💚 What do you think will happen next?**

* * *

 **‼️FOR GUEST REVIEWERS‼️**

 _,_

 ** _Sorry, I know I said I would answer, but I am dead to the world. It is just very late, and I am very very tired, sorry sorry._**

💚 **Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚


	16. 15: Everybody Wants To Be A Cat

**My dear little broccolis** 💚💚💚

 **💚And the POV you've been waiting for since the last book, haha**

 **💚So for those wondering, Omoi means hope, love in Japanese**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚

 **.**

 **Chapter 15** **: Everybody Wants To Be A Cat (1,7K) - The Aristocats, Disney**

 **Don't forget to check the songs 😉**

 **Bastille's PoV**

 _They brought home a dog_. The humans brought home a dog.

When they moved him into the new place, Bastille didn't say much, because he was comfortable in this new place. He had more space to roam and he could hunt more often. So he put up living with the third human, the one who smelt like the female and he had caught snooping around in the old place. He even allowed that other female human that gave him food and changed his litter to pet him from time to time.

He actually liked this new place, even though his human always made sure that he couldn't bring his game inside the house. Bastille was sure it was because the female human was a bit weak and squeamish when he brought his preys. She would always screech and turn her head in disgust, irritating Bastille's delicate ears.

In fact, Bastille wasn't sure if his human liked this new place. He often saw him in the garden, in the middle of the night, even after he left for two whole weeks and the female was with child. In fact, given the fact that the two humans disappeared together, Bastille had expected them to come back together with a baby. He would have been fine with a baby. But no.

The humans brought home a dog. A little pup that was noisy and irritating. As soon as she had gotten home, the female had brought the dog to Bastille's face, all smiley as she said, "Look, Bastille. This is your new brother. His name Omoi."

Of course, the dog being the annoying thing that he was, tried to lick him, and he swiftly turned away, his tail low and his head high, showing his discontentment in the situation. Did the female think Bastille was stupid? The dog couldn't be his brother!

He went to the bedroom where the humans slept, and curled in the middle of it, hoping that the foolish humans would soon see reason and get rid of that nuisance that was the _dog_.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

The very same night, Bastille was stirred awake when his human came home. He had been glad to see that the female did not try to kick him out of the bed to welcome the dog. In fact, the dog had been removed several times from the bed, which made Bastille very smug. The female might like walking around with the pup in her arms, but he was not allowed on furniture, unlike him. The human probably knew that a dog was not as graceful as a cat, and that he would break and dirty everything.

He got out the bed, smelling blood on his human's shirt like he often happened, and the man smiled and petted him when he saw him in the bathroom. Bastille waited for an explanation concerning that nuisance that had been brought home, but the human had always been quite slow. He couldn't expect much from him.

So he followed him to the room and recoiled when a bedside lamp was lit by the female. His human stopped, looking at the female with curiosity, and Bastille understood why. She usually slept through him getting into bed. Except when they would mate.

"How was your evening?" She asked, and Bastille jumped on the bed to be on her laps. He had noticed lately that she was blue, so he tried to stay by her side to cheer her up. Thing that a dog would never do, or understand, being an inferior species, and all.

"Are you alright?" Asked the male in return.

"I .." She hesitated, looking at Bastille and gently petting him. "I want to talk."

"About?"

"Aline?"

"What about her?"

"I don't think she should be spending so much time with you. _Alone_."

"We've been through this, Clary. Neither you or I should care about her, or what she thinks. We should only care about one another."

"I know. And I do. I trust you, Jace. But … spending this week with the two of you … I … you spend all your days with her. It would be so easy—"

"Would you stop seeing James if I asked you?"

"James has never done anything to warrant —"

"And neither did Aline."

The female looked down, before moving Bastille a little and laying down in the bed, switching off the lamp. Bastille glared at his human, cursing the slowness that the man showed sometimes. The female had been sad for days, and here she was crying again.

He moved so she would open her arms to him, which she did, cuddling him against her and he purred, knowing that she liked hearing the sound. He felt the male lay down beside the female, and his hand rested on hers adding an additional weight on Bastille.

"Babe … talk to me. Why are you so hung up on Aline?"

The female remained silent, and the male held her and Bastille closer.

"Babe?"

"Because she is perfect where I'm not, and I see the way she looks at you."

"I don't care how she looks at me. I already made it clear to her where my hearts lie."

"What about her being —"

"That's you talking nonsense. You are all I want."

"What if I can't have children anymore?"

"I told you already. I don't care about the DNA. I just want to raise kids _with you_. I once told you I didn't care about the mother of my child, well, that was before you. I don't want to lose you, Clary. Especially not in such a definitive way."

"Maybe you ought to … be with someone less defective."

There was a whoosh of wind, and Bastille knew that his human was angry now. The light was once again on, annoying him a little, and he got out of the bed, not really bothered to be in the middle of their argument. He made his way to the vanity and watched the couple as the male was now kneeling by the crying female side, cupping her face and forcing her to look at him,

"Don't … _ever_ say that again."

"But it's true, Jace. Women have been given birth since the dawn of times, and —"

"And they've had miscarriages for just as long. And they've died in childbirth for just as long. I told you before, and I'm telling you again, you are not defined by your status as a mother. You are your own person. I didn't marry you because I wanted children, I married you because I love _you_. Because I want to grow old with _you_. Because I want to raise _our_ kids with _you_."

Bastille watched as his human waited for the female to nod, and they pressed their mouths against each other. Though Bastille knew that they would not mate tonight. They never did when the female was bleeding, and he could smell the blood from here.

When the male switched off the light, Bastille left through the window and went hunting that nasty little squirrel he had seen on the previous day.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

The next morning, Bastille was in the garden, savouring his victory against the squirrel who thought it could still Bastille's territory when he saw his human walk out in the garden. Shortly after, the other human followed, the one Bastille didn't like. In fact, Bastille always hid whenever that human was around. He was hoping his human would pick up and not trust such a human, but his human was slow.

For a moment, the two men stayed silent, before the older one, the one Bastille didn't like, spoke,

"You broke your promise to me."

"I don't care."

"Well, I do!"

Bastille's human turned and looked down at the older man. "With all due respect, Valentine, I will always value your word. You are my mentor, and I will never forget what you did for me during all these years. But there is an opinion that matters to me more than yours, now.

I don't care about how you feel, I only care about my wife. This doesn't concern you. Yes, I said some hurtful things, but Clary isn't a white sheep in this either. I'll admit that I have more to be forgiven than she does, but this doesn't concern you as I said. It's between my wife and me."

"What are you going to do about it?"

Bastille watched his human stare into the horizon, and for a brief moment, he swore that his human knew exactly where he was.

"We're going to get through this. I asked the priest if he could see us once in a while, so we could lay all our cards with an impartial party."

" _Impartial_. You're talking about a preaching man."

"I am."

"Are you going religious."

"No. I'm just being practical. He might be a preaching man, but he is someone who knows Clary and has her trust. Clary would never open up to a shrink, and neither would I."

"But you'd open up to a priest?"

Bastille's human turned to look once again at the older man, and Bastille saw the aura of an Alpha emanating from him. Just by his presence, he was putting the older man back in his place.

"No. I will open up to my wife. Clary trusts the man, and I trust my wife. If she says he's safe to talk to, I will put my pride aside and talk to the man."

Bastille didn't move from his spot, even after the two men went back inside. In fact, now that the sun was getting higher in the sky, he closed his eyes and appreciated the warm caress of it, until he was disturbed by the _pup._

before even opening his eyes, he knew that the dog was running to him. He heard the female call for him with his stupid name, and he snapped his eyes open, only to put his paw on the dog's nose when he was about to lick him.

The dog immediately stopped, admitting that Bastille was his superior, and Bastille nodded in agreement, closing his eyes as he let the pup lick his face. After all, it was just a child, and children needed to be treated with special care. As long as Omoi knew where his place was, Bastille would tolerate him.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚 **Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed** 💚

 **.**

 **💚 So ... I know this chapter is short, and a bot weird, because we have important conversation, from Bastille's pov, and we don't have feelings and thoughts, but I'm evil, you should know that, haha**

💚 **Now, what did you think of the conversation between Jace and Clary?**

💚 **And, what did you think of the conversation between Val and Jace? And Jace's decision?**

 **💚 And how about Bastille and Omoi?**

💚 **And don't forget to check out my other story of the moment, _Give me The Daddy, I'll Give You The Sugar_. I'm sure you'll love 😉**

💚 **And what's was your favourite part? I'm always curious about that. Mine was that last part, the priest is being a savage, haha.**

 **💚 What do you think will happen next?**

* * *

 **‼️FOR GUEST REVIEWERS‼️**

 _,_

 ** _Sorry, I know I said I would answer, but I am dead to the world, AGAIN. It is just very late, and I am very very tired, sorry sorry. But at least I'm updating fast. Basically, as long as Father Crowley is not involved, I'm kind of fast, haha. But do let me know what you thought, it always brings a smile to my face, and we need that at the moment ^^_**

💚 **Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚


	17. Chapter 16: I See Fire

**My dear little broccolis** 💚💚💚

 **💚I think we are 4 chapters or so till the end ...**

 **💚Also, As I said, I will no longer answer reviews (To be fair, I've been doing this for years, so don't hate me too much) But they are always MORE than welcome. They are like fuel to me, so don't be shy, I always like to know what you think. And I will keep on answering PM. And don't forget to let me know which story you want to be updated.**

‼️ **DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

 **LEAVE A REVIEW** ‼️

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚

 **.**

 **Chapter 16** **: I See Fire (2,1K) - Ed Sheeran**

 **Don't forget to check the songs 😉**

 **Jace's PoV**

Jace stayed silent as Jordan finished the meeting for him. As his friend would say, bit by bit, he was turning more and more into Valentine. Though he was now making most of the shots since Valentine was less and less present, he rarely ever talked, just as Valentine did when he was his second in command. He was just there, imposing respect and fear by his mere presence. In fact, the newest recruits were always in panic when he was the one conducting the meetings, and that was the way he liked it.

Ever since Clary's miscarriage, six months ago, he had forbidden the access to the mansion to anything that was business-related. So when they gathered together, it was at Jace's old flat. Jordan and Magnus still visited Jace and his wife at the mansion, but it was only for mundane moments since they were his friends.

Of course, this change he imposed on everyone, including Valentine was, first of all, so the difference between work and home would be very well defined. Though Clary had forgiven him for the way he spoke to her that night, he hadn't. In fact, Valentine's words kept on hunting him since then. The ones when his mentor had told him how, because of his job, he had acted too hastily when it came to his family.

This was something that he swore himself would never happen to him, and he actually told Clary on many occasions to not hesitate to call him if she felt he was crossing the line. In fact, this had been brought up during one of their many sessions with father Crowley. At least once a month, Clary and he would go to Church to talk with the priest, and though Jace had never thought he would be one of those people who went to counselling, he still did it for his marriage.

Neither Clary or him thought that their couple was in danger, but it was something to make sure it would stay strong. On more than one occasion, the priest made Jace be more open about himself to Clary, and on more than one occasion, he told Clary to stop expecting Jace to know what she wanted of him without even telling him first.

It was during one of those sessions that Jace understood that Clary's insecurities against Aline were more than that, they were actually founded. She confessed, after Father Crowley forced her to speak her truth, that Aline had had some words with her that made Jace's blood boil.

The very next day, he was ready to kill the girl and had only been stopped by Jordan. Jace had spared the girl begrudgingly, but when he had been training her to fool his and Jordan's footsteps, she now had been relegated to the very last rank in their hierarchy, and Jace had absolutely no trust in her anymore.

For a long time, he had thought that Clary's jealousy towards Aline was like his own towards James, just unwarranted and a test of their love for one another. But he had been wrong all along. So now, he was just biding his time, waiting for Aline to just blink the wrong way to end her.

With a little shake of the head, he came back to the present moment as Jordan dismissed everyone, which surprised Jace. There was still a few more things to be said, but then he understood as the front door opened and revealed Clary coming in, all smiles to him.

This was another thing that had changed over the past six months. Clary would sometimes pop up to meetings, texting Jordan or himself beforehand. She always made sure that her father wasn't here when she came, and Jace and Jordan always made sure that she would not assist in meetings that would be too gruesome for her.

In fact, it was an idea coming from the priest, who, despite the fact that he made it very clear he did not approve of Jace's profession, he approved even less that Jace was trying to keep Clary in the dark. According to him, no healthy relationship could bloom if he kept such an important part of his life hidden away from her.

He smiled at his wife as Jordan led the men outside, though he still bothered to wink at Jace before closing the door, and Clary came to sit on Jace's laps when the flat was empty, kissing him with love. He eagerly responded, always enjoying those moments when she was even more forward than usual.

With the same love, he caressed her face, looking into the tree of her eyes, and she asked, between two kisses, "What are you up to tomorrow?"

"I have a few things lined up. Why?"

"I want a date with you."

Jace chuckled, shaking his head a little. "Since when do you need to plan a date in advance?"

She mysteriously smiled and took something out of her pocket to give it to him. He looked down, and his heart skipped a bit as he realised that it was a pregnancy test. _A positive pregnancy test_. He looked back at his wife who was all smiles to him, taking his head between her small hands to kiss him.

He responded early, a feeling of glee and pride taking over him. They had been talking about it for some time, and Jace had been the one putting on hold trying to have children again. He wanted to make sure that Clary understood clearly that it wasn't his priority. Of course, he wasn't giving up on his dream of being a father, but there were other ways to get there.

Slowly, Clary turned their kiss into something more celebratory, and when she reached for his belt, he stopped her, not wanting to take her where he had just been talking business with mobsters. So he took her in his arms and brought her upstairs to their bedroom that was decorated exactly the same way Clary had left it when they moved to the mansion.

As he laid her on the bed, he looked at the redhead with adoration, and she told him, "This time I don't want to tell anyone until it's obvious."

"What about your father?"

"No. Just you and I. If something goes wrong, I don't want the world to pity us. I just want you and me to help each other. Is that okay?"

He smiled, pecking her lips. "Of course it is. Just you, me, and our baby," He assured her, resting his hand on her stomach and earning another bright smile from her.

"So you'll come with me to the doctor, tomorrow?"

He gave her a look, silently asking if she was really asking this question, and she giggled, yanking him closer so she could kiss him as she slowly ground against him. "What about the things you had to do?"

"What things?"

She laughed again, happy beyond measures before looking at him with seriousness. Jace stopped his quest to undressing her, surprised by her change of mood, and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Can you make me promise?"

He looked at her, not giving his word to something he didn't know, yet, and she explained, "I know the doctor is probably going to be all medical and all, and we're probably going to freak out, but please, hon, don't become overbearing."

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

Jace had given his word to not be overbearing, and it was the hardest thing to do. The further Clary got into her pregnancy, the more he had to control his impulses to just lock her in their room until the baby was born. Especially after the doctor had explained that it would be best if she remained bedridden.

Jace stopped going abroad, or even out of the city. He stayed by Clary's side, relying more and more on Jordan, which his second in command understood completely. Of course, Jordan being Jordan couldn't stop but joking about it, but Jace didn't care the least in the world.

Just like he didn't care when Valentine made a scene that he hadn't been told at once that his daughter was pregnant. Clary was his priority and the baby girl inside of her. Especially since Clary often had those panics in the middle of the night where she would cry and beg him to choose their daughter if the worst was to come.

Jace never promised anything, ushering her to sleep every night and always happy when she was a bit more cheery in the morning. He wasn't really sure why she was so pessimistic with this pregnancy. Perhaps it was because she already suffered from two miscarriages, or maybe, it was because this pregnancy was much harder on her than the previous one.

Unlike the time she had been expecting their son, this time, she was often ill, even after the first trimester, struggling to keep food down, and even sometimes to get out of bed. It was in the middle of the sixth month that they knew why this pregnancy was so different.

"You're expecting twins," The doctor said, making both Clary and Jace snap their heads to him.

" _WHAT_?"

"How did you miss a whole other baby?!" Jace almost roared, and Clary squeezed his hand to calm him down.

This was their third ultrasound, and only now this incompetent charlatan was telling them of this very important news. The man did not waver in front of Jace, and simply explained,

"It does happen sometimes when the second baby is well hidden during the first one. But twins mean that you won't carry this pregnancy until this end, especially in your condition. We can look to induce it as soon as it will be safe for bot the babies and yourself."

Clary looked at Jace, smiling, even though she looked tired, and he carefully listened to all the recommendation the doctor gave them, as he was taking in the fact that they were expecting a second daughter.

On their way home, Clary was ecstatic and asked that they could go to their flat instead of the mansion, so they could celebrate. She couldn't stop saying over and over again that they were getting two babies for one.

"Finally, I will outnumber Dad and you. It will be the three of us, against the two of you."

Jace chuckled, and she teased, "That's probably the monster cock striking and showing its power. But you better behave, I don't think my body can take triplets for our next round."

He shook his head, putting his hand on her prominent stomach and rewarded by a little kick from one of his daughter. For the first time in weeks, Clary was not going to bed in tears, fearing what may happen in the future. On the contrary, she was joyous and excited.

For the first time in weeks, they made love, and she fell asleep with a happy smile spread on her face. Jace watched her sleep for hours, doing his best to keep his worries for himself. He was excited himself that they would get to have two daughters, but he couldn't help but fear. What if none of them made it?

Every night Clary had cried, Jace had reassured her, but a voice inside of him reminded him that Valentine lost his first wife to childbirth. He had told his mentor about this fear, and Valentine had no reassuring words for him. This was a fear that had haunted him when Jocelyn had been pregnant and he knew he was powerless against.

Which was why once he was sure Clary was sound asleep, he went to the shooting range to release his nerves. For an hour, he was alone with his thought, doing his best to appease his worries. There was no need for him to obsess over something he had no control over. Especially when Clary was already so susceptible to melancholy.

"I didn't expect to see you here," Aline's voice echoed behind him.

Jace snapped his head, locking his jaw and putting the gun down before doing something that would put him in a bad mood. Aline meekly smiled, walking to him,

"Aren't you supposed to be with your pregnant wife?"

He looked at her from head to toe, not bothering to answer, and when he was about to walk passed her, she put her hand on his chest, and told him,

"I would never be such a problem, Jace. I would give you the children you deserve, without being afraid little thing."

She reached so her lips could brush his, and in the fraction of a second, he had his hand around her neck, his golden eyes glaring at the offensive and impudent girl.

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚 **Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed** 💚

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‼️ **DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

 **LEAVE A REVIEW** ‼️

 **💚 So ... I know this chapter is short, but this is where it was always supposed to end...**

💚 **Now, what did you think of the Clace?**

💚 **And, what do you think of Aline, now? And Jace, toward her?**

 **💚 And how about Clary? How do you think she will react?**

💚 **And don't forget to check out my other story of the moment, _Give me The Daddy, I'll Give You The Sugar_. I'm sure you'll love 😉 I just uploaded the sequel.**

💚 **And what's was your favourite part? I'm always curious about that.**

 **💚 What do you think will happen next?**

💚 **Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚


	18. 17: Hellfire

**My dear little broccolis** 💚💚💚

 **💚I think we are 4 chapters or so till the end ...**

💚 **So I know you've been waiting since Caesar died for this update, but two things happened. First, once again, we're getting toward that touchy topic of religion, and it's is always hard to make sure that I translate properly the way Clary feels about religion and Father Crowley. Second MY LAPTOP HATES ME** 😭😭😭 **I was halfway through the chapter when I couldn't find what I wrote already. So what you're getting is not as good as what I once wrote, and I tried to do what some of you recommended on Instagram, but … alas, nothing worked. I was really frustrated with the story, and on the verge to just ragequit, but with peace and love, here I am … though this chapter doest hold much peace and love haha.**

‼️ **DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

 **LEAVE A REVIEW** ‼️

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚

 **.**

💚 **The Mobster's Wife** 💚

 **Chapter 17 : Hellfire (3,5K) - Disney, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame**

Clary woke up before dawn with her bladder bursting, and one of her daughters thinking that it was a pushing bag. She rushed to the bathroom, her eyes half opened and once again wishing that the last three month of her pregnancy would go fast. She didn't mind being pregnant, in fact, there was something magical and reassuring about carrying her babies. But it was also exhausting and emotionally though she knew she was found to have just as many sleepless nights when the twins would come, she knew that she wouldn't be alone anymore. Jace and her father would be there to help.

Sure, they were always so eager to help at this present time, but there was so much they could do. For instance, they could be patient with her for going to the bathroom every single hour of the day like an incontinent person, but they couldn't really relate to that. Maryse, on the other hand, was a great person to talk to.

She had told her of that one time when she was pregnant with Izzy and she didn't even realise that she wet herself as she sneezed … in front of her in-laws. Or that one time she broke down in tears because she saw a cloud in the form of a bunny.

With a loud yawn that could probably dislocate her jaw, Clary got back to her bedroom, only realising once she slipped back into bed that Jace's size was stone cold. She frowned because Jace never left her in the middle of the night without letting her know beforehand, and she went downstairs, to check if maybe he was there.

She knew that, though he had been incredibly supportive, it was hard on him that she had been so susceptible to melancholia. In fact, more than once he was the one who told her to go to Father Crowley so the holy man could give her the words of comfort that he was failing to find. And in all honesty, more than once, Father Crowley had prevented Clary from falling into depression.

Once downstairs, she found her husband sitting on the couch, his elbows on his knees and his hand in his hair, and she wondered if maybe he was being worried about the news that they were having twin girls. After all, she was ecstatic of the news, but a part of her was scared that could make things even harder for them.

She walked to Jace, and put her hand on his shoulder, startling him out of his thoughts, which was a first for her. Jace was always so aware of his environment and she had never managed to surprise him, no matter how discreet she always tried to be. He snapped his head to her, and she saw that his eyes were ravaged by worry. But it wasn't what she lingered on. no, her first thoughts were on the blood on his hand.

"Jace …" She whispered, sitting by his side as she was discreetly checking if he had any injury. He silently watched her as she examined him, and when her eyes got back to his golden orbs, he said,

"I love you, babe. You know that, right?"

"What happened?"

His eyes longly studded her face, before he let her know, getting up, "I'd rather not tell you, right now."

"Jace, what's wrong?"

"Trust me, babe. Not now."

And without further of an explanation, he went upstairs to take a shower whilst she was left in the living room. For a moment, she blankly stared at the stairs where Jace had just disappeared, not sure of what just happened. There were so many things that didn't add up.

First of all, though it wasn't uncommon for Jace to leave in the middle of the night, he always let her know beforehand. So where did he get that blood? second, Jace and she had agreed to just each other and be honest. sure, he still refused to tell her what happened to her brother, and she would hold Hodge's secret as long as she could, but those were events of the past. They were being as truthful as possible about the present events.

It was, in fact, something Father Crowley was very insistent on. Whether it was her feelings of insecurity towards that harlot Aline, or Jace being forward about what he was doing for a living.

She knew what kind of man her husband was. In fact, they had this very conversation in that very bathroom he was using at the moment. It wasn't the first time he was coming home with literal blood on his hand, and she doubted it would be the last time. So why didn't he just tell her what it was about?

It was as she was looking at the skyline of New York from the balcony of the penthouse that she finally understood why this interaction had seemed off. It wasn't the fact that Jace didn't want to talk to her yet. After all, he had assured her he would tell her at some point. It was the fact that he didn't even try to kiss her. Not even a gentle kiss on her forehead before going for a shower.

Every time she had caught him back from the streets in the middle of the night, Jace had kissed her. He had rarely hugged her. But he had always kissed her. In fact, Jace was a very tactical man when it was in the privacy of their home, and it was something that he never hid from her, or her father when they moved in with him.

She did her best to not let her mind go to the awful places it could sometimes go, but she knew that as long as she wouldn't get straight answers, she would imagine the worst. And at this precise moment, the worst was taking her on that irrational road of jealousy. She knew that Jace loved her, and had no interest in Aline but …

What if? What if she had called him so they could work together on some business in the middle of the night, and he realised that she wasn't a huge whale pregnant with twins and always crying, no matter what he could tell her? What if having sex with his wife made him realise that he could do so much better elsewhere?

She swallowed with difficulty, before going back to their room. She sat on their bed and waited for her husband to get in, doing her best to reassure herself with the same mantra that Jace loved her. She Jace got back to their room, he seemed surprised to see the lights on, as well as her sitting on their bed, and so he told her,

"You should get back to sleep, babe. It's barely five in the morning."

"Do you really think that I'll be able to sleep?" She challenged.

"I told you, trust me. I will explain everything in time."

"This isn't very helping with my stress level, and the doctor did say to keep it to a minimum," She countered. She was fully aware that she was using her condition to get the answers she wanted, but she also knew that she was going to overthink this situation until she would get those answers.

Jace longly stared at her, as if assessing her under a new light, before he walked to her and crouched in front of her, his towel still hanging on his hips. He took her hands in his, and repeated the same thing he had told in the living room,

"I love you, babe. I just hope that you know that."

She snapped her hands out of his grip, not liking that he had to repeat a statement that they both knew was true. She watched his Adam's apple go up and down before he finally spoke,

"I don't want you to stress over it. It's _nothing_. I'm handling it. But … last night I went to the shooting range for a spell. I wasn't tired, and I didn't want to wake you up since you were sleeping so well for the first time in weeks. What I didn't expect was for Aline to find me there and … for her to make a move on me."

Clary's heart stopped to beat for a brief moment. And two things happened at once. Jace retook possession of her hands, and the thought of murder crossed her mind. She released a breath at the intensity of this foreign feeling. Never before, no matter how much a person had wronged her, had she thought of even _wishing_ for someone's death.

" _Nothing happened_ , babe. I stopped it before she could try —"

"Did you kill her?" She cut him off, remembering the blood on his hands. This question was bringing a strange emotion out of her, and for a brief second, she was hoping he would affirmatively answer to that.

"Jordan intervened and … I didn't want to upset you. She's locked in one of the warehouses until I decide what to do with her."

Clary looked down, before closing her eyes. She knew Aline was bad news from the moment she had seen her, and though Jace had listened to her concerns, she couldn't help but feel that things could have gone a whole differently if she had been raised differently. If her father hadn't sheltered her for her whole life, Aline never would have dared make a move on her man, she never would have seen her as a meek little thing that could be discarded like a second thought.

But in the meantime, as Father Crowley often pointed out, it was because Valentine had sheltered her for her whole life that she had compassion for the less fortunate. After all, Jace cared very little about homeless, and struggling people, when he had been in this position himself. It should be the other way around, he should be the charitable one, and she should be the oblivious one sine she had lived all her life in an ivory tower.

She tried to see clearly in how she felt, but all she could see was red. She wished that she had been Jace and that she had taught that worthless piece of a human being what it meant to go after her husband. _Especially_ after she had warned her off.

"Babe. It's nothing. Don't stress over it. She's not worth it," Jace pleaded, taking his face in his hands and forcing her to look into his eyes.

"What are you going to do with her."

His golden eyes studied her face, though she saw the way his jaw slightly clenched. It was clear what he wanted to do, but it was also clear that he didn't want the situation to affect her, "I'll take care of her once the girls will be born."

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

"Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned."

As she waited for the good priest to explain her sin, Clary tried to clear her thoughts and feelings. She couldn't understand why she was so keen to make someone suffer, and she even started wondering if there was something wrong with her soul. After all, what kind of good religious person would wish harm upon another human? One of the ten commandments was ' _thou shalt not kill_ ' after all. But then again, Aline shouldn't have tried to make a move on her husband. _Thou shalt not covet, and thou shalt not commit adultery._

So she explained the situation to Father Crowley and her conflicted feelings toward Aline, and as she had expected, the priest preached compassion and foreignness.

"Not everyone can be forgiven," She let out between her teeth, hardly seeing how she would be able to break bread with a woman who disrespected her so ostensibly.

"And yet, you are always the first one to plead a case for your husband. You and I both know that he has far more sins than this woman."

"Jace knows his limits."

"Does he? Or do you just wish he does?"

"He didn't kill her. Because of me," She argues because she had no doubts that it was the only reason that made Jace spare alines life. He could say what he wanted about Jordan showing up, Clary knew that it was thinking of telling her she killed Aline for her that stopped her. Because she would have been upset, and this was not the time to get her upset.

"And yet, you wish he had."

"No," She admitted after a while. "It would be … _wrong_."

"Jace has already ended many lives before, and you've always known it. Why would _this_ lie be any different in his eyes."

"It … I don't know. Jace has always made a point to separate home from work, and I think that if e went all the way through this time, it would have broken the barrier he created."

"Murder is murder, Clary. It is not because you hide it behind the pretence of a profession that it makes it any better."

"Well, the Church is no better, is it? Bible has many bloody pages, and you know it. Event made by man, but condoned by the Church," She snapped back because though she knew her husband's sins, she still believed that he was a good man. sure, his soul was tainted, but they were all humans, and she did not know a single person who was completely pure.

And in her heart, the sins Jace committed in his profession weren't as severe as the ones he could commit in his personal life. And so far, his personal life has very few sins. sure, he refused to honour his parents, or to recognised that there was a God, but as she said, no one was perfect.

"Why did you come to see me, child? You can't possibly think that I will give you my blessing for you to kill that poor woman?"

"No. Of course not. I just … wanted to know if I was justified in my anger."

It wasn't really a lie. But it wasn't the honest truth. The truth was, she would have loved nothing more but for her priest to give her the go she wanted. But he was a man of God, and of course, he would never tell her to commit a sin.

"I think you should let your husband deal with this as he wants to do, and just forget about this scarlet woman. You are too pure to even accord a thought to her."

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

All day long, she tried to do as Father Crowley had advised her, but she couldn't. The very idea that Aline was going to become an afterthought to Jace until their children would be born was unbearable for her. But she knew she wouldn't be able to bear the guilt. All day, she stayed alone with her dark thoughts, only distracted by Omoi and Bastille playing in the garden. Though it was more Omoi trying to get Bastille's attention.

Finally, she knew what she must do to feel better about this whole situation, and she called Jordan to come and pick her up, without telling him anything. Jordan dismissed Lauren when he pulled over at the mansion, and as soon as she was in his car, she asked,

"Does Jace know you're with me?"

"He was busy with some business. So he should know in about an hour."

"Good. I want you to take me to Aline."

Jordan briefly looked away from the road to suspiciously narrow his eyes at her. "You don't have your gun in your purse, do you?"

"No."

"Good. I don't think you can live with that weight on your shoulders."

"You're right. I can't. I wasn't raised to do so."

Jordan nodded, refocusing his attention on the road, and Clary caressed her belly, sure that she wouldn't give her children this week spot. She didn't want them to turn into murderers, but she also wanted them to be able to make a decision, without torturing themselves over it.

"I would like a favour from you, Jordan."

"You want me to kill her for you? Comes back down to the same. ii don't mind pulling the trigger, but you'll feel guilty nonetheless."

She smiled to herself, glad that Jordan was one of those people who always spoke their minds. This was probably why Jace trusted him so much because he knew that Jordan would always tell him what he thought, even if it wasn't something he wanted to hear.

"I agree. I just don't want her to still be in our lives. Even locked up in some warehouse. She's nothing, isn't she? So … I just want her out of her lives."

"But you don't want to know how," He added for her, and when she nodded and told her, "It's done. But you get to tell Jace. I don't like being near him when he's in a temper. My heart is not so young anymore, and heart-attacks can happen."

She chuckled at his joke, and for the rest of the way, they talked about her pregnancy and his own child. She didn't tell him about the twins, keeping this information just between Jace and her, and when Jordan pulled over in front of some old warehouse, she couldn't help but get her heart beating faster.

She had no idea what she would say to Aline, and what she would do, but she wanted the girls to know that she was well aware of what she did, and not as sheltered at the brunette might have thought.

Still, when she caught sight of Aline, she gasped with horror. Her face was all swollen, with one closed black eye, and two missing teeth. Clary could also see the clear print of a hand on Aline's neck and given the state of her hair, it was obvious that she had been ruffled up. She was tied to a wooden chair, her hands in her back and her feet tied to the chair's feet.

Clary remained frozen until Jordan rested a hand on her shoulder and reminded her of one of Jace's motto, "Betrayal is betrayal to Jace. No matter the gender. Jace doesn't really care if the person trespassing his limits is male or female. In any case, if he feels betrayed, he'll strike."

She nodded, remembering Jace's harsh words a few months ago when he told her that he would have killed her if she hadn't been his wife. Then she cleared her throat and waited for Aline to look at her. The woman tied to smirk, but it looked more like a grimace on her bloated face.

"Have you come to gloat?"

"No. I …" She stumbled into translating her emotions into words, before finally feeling free, and telling that person that no longer held importance in her life,

"To be honest, I came here to rant at you. But … seeing you, I'm just reminded that you're nothing. You're just a speck of dust that tried to be something more. You didn't affect my marriage, and you won't affect my family. Because you're nothing. In fact, you are so not special, that after tomorrow, you won't even be an afterthought for my husband.

You will return to your state of nothing and never again we will even think of you."

And it was with this new sense of self, that Clary turned her back on Aline, finally feeling more superior than her. Though she took the time to tell Jordan loud enough for _nothing_ to hear,

"I might be a good Christian, but I am not a saint. Whatever you decide to do with her, make sure she suffers."

 **.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚 **Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed** 💚

 **.**

‼️ **DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

 **LEAVE A REVIEW** ‼️

 **💚 So ... I know this chapter took forever. As I said up, it was frustrating. The story is almost over, but I will probably do a few bonuses as I did for Road Trippin.**

💚 **Now, what did you think of the Clace? The way Jace acted, and the way Clary reacted?**

💚 **And, what do you think of the Aline situation? And Jordan?**

 **💚 And how about Clary and her convo with Father Crowley?**

💚 **And don't forget to check out my other story of the moment, _Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy_**

💚 **And what's was your favourite part? I'm always curious about that.**

 **💚 What do you think will happen next?**

💚 **Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

 **Love, Mina** 💚💚💚


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